Valley speed camera program ignores Scottsdale

Scottsdale was the first place in the country to feature fixed photo-enforcement cameras on a freeway.

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It received national attention. Studies were conducted, which showed speeds and overall collision numbers were reduced by the six cameras on Loop 101's Pima Freeway.

The study results were cited by Gov. Janet Napolitano when she announced a statewide photo-enforcement program, which later she said was necessary to raise much-needed revenue.

And now, more than two years after Scottsdale's nine-month trial program ended, the first 26 fixed speed cameras have popped up on freeways throughout the Valley.

Yet none are installed on the eight-mile segment of Loop 101 through Scottsdale - between Scottsdale Road and Shea Boulevard - where the program was born. The six cameras there, as well as the photo-enforcement warning signs, have been removed.

Cameras already have been put in place along Interstate 10 and Loop 101 in the West Valley, state Route 51 and Interstate 17 in central Phoenix and U.S. 60 in the East Valley.

Arizona Department of Public Safety spokesman Bart Graves said Loop 101 through Scottsdale is still being evaluated as a potential site for cameras, but a decision has not been made."It has not been ruled out or in," Graves said. "Maybe in the future."

Scottsdale spokesman Pat Dodds said the city is having conversations with DPS about placing cameras on Loop 101.

"We've expressed the desire to reactivate the six sites throughout our city. DPS was receptive to our inquiries and indicated they would consider reactivating the sites as they roll out their program," Dodds said.

Even if the area is eventually selected, the Scottsdale stretch of the freeway was not a top priority.

Graves said the camera sites are being selected based on accident rates, specifically stretches with high rates of serious injuries or collisions.

Mobile speed vans have been deployed around the state, with a total of 42 planned to be operating shortly, Graves said. As recently as Thursday, at least one van was parked on Loop 101 near the Scottsdale Road interchange.

Redflex Traffic Systems, which placed the first cameras on Loop 101, was awarded the statewide contract. The cameras that were recently removed from Loop 101 belonged to rival American Traffic Solutions, which had won the city contract last year.

Scottsdale City Councilman Wayne Ecton, who voted in 2005 to create Scottsdale's Loop 101 program, said it seems strange that the state would not keep cameras along that stretch of freeway.

"I'm not sure what (DPS') reasons are, but the cameras have done a good job and reduced crashes," Ecton said.

Charlie Chandler of Scottsdale, a supporter of the freeway photo-enforcement cameras, also believes they should return to Scottsdale.

"I think the Loop 101 through Scottsdale is a straight shot and it is a hazard," Chandler said.

Separate polls commissioned by Scottsdale and American Traffic Solutions show public support for the cameras. The Scottsdale poll conducted in December 2006 showed freeway photo enforcement was supported by 62 percent of people statewide and 70 percent of Scottsdale residents.

But there have been a fair share of critics, both among the public and in the state Legislature.

Jessica Sixel of Scottsdale said she doesn't find the cameras effective because everyone catches on to them and slows down, only to speed up again after passing the cameras. Sixel said it wouldn't be worth it to reinstall them in Scottsdale.

"I would prefer them to not be there," said Sixel, who also acknowledged: "I have a little bit of a lead foot."

Graves said DPS hopes to have all of the locations identified by the end of the year, with all of the roughly 60 cameras installed by Feb. 1.

The Scottsdale trial program ran between January and October 2006. The cameras were then turned off until the governor authorized to turn them back on in February 2007.

During that downtime, there was an average of 8,769 speeding detections of 76 mph or greater per day, with a high of 15,526. When the cameras were turned back on, the average dropped to 860 per day, with a high of 1,684 per day.

The cameras remained operational until June when construction started on the Loop 101 carpool lanes project.

While the cameras were turned on, there were 237,416 speeding citations issued to motorists.

Simon Washington, an Arizona State University professor who studied the trial program, concluded that the average speed slowed by 9 mph, yet drivers could travel through the stretch more quickly because of the reduction in collisions. While the overall number and severity of collisions declined, rear-end crashes did increase, the study found.