San Jose streets getting traffic cameras to improve safety

Dozens of traffic enforcement cameras will be placed across San Jose's most dangerous streets after city leaders approved a multimillion-dollar pilot program.

City transportation officials have examined priority safety corridors where 30% of fatalities and severe injuries are caused by speeding vehicles, and have identified 63 potential locations for "speed safety cameras." Councilmember Pam Foley, who chaired the city's Vision Zero task force, which is ending in December, said the aim is to eliminate traffic fatalities. She's glad to know all 10 city districts will receive at least one speed camera.

"When I hear about a crash and a following pedestrian death, it breaks my heart, particularly when knowing that person is a child … someone who was beloved by their family members," Foley said Tuesday's San Jose City Council meeting. "Lives are changed by these deaths and we need to stop it."

Assembly Bill 645 legalizes the state's use of surveillance cameras in school zones and "safety corridors" to catch speeding drivers for a five-year pilot program. Six cities will participate in the pilot, including San Jose, San Francisco and Oakland. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the bill last year.

San Jose streets have become increasingly dangerous. During the last decade, traffic deaths more than doubled from 29 in 2010 to 60 in 2021. The majority of deaths happened on what the city calls its 17 most dangerous streets -- found predominately on the East Side.

Drivers caught by cameras exceeding the speed limit will receive a first-time warning. After that, tickets start at $50 for drivers going 10 mph over the speed limit. That increases to a $100 if traveling more than 16 mph over the limit, $200 going more than 26 mph over the limit and $500 going more than 100 mph over the limit.

Mayor Matt Mahan said the city is going to contract with a company in spring next year to install 33 speed safety cameras by fall. The first 60 days of the cameras' installation will be considered a grace period.

"Speed safety cameras have been used effectively worldwide for years, and today we're one step closer to bringing them to our streets. But we need to be moving much faster toward implementation like lives depend on it -- because they do," Mahan said. "I commend our Department of Transportation for laying the groundwork to make our pilot program a model for future deployment across the state."

A majority of the estimated $16 million pilot program budget came from a federal grant.

Under AB 645, city officials are required to mount a public outreach and community engagement effort to inform residents of the speed cameras.

Deadly roads considered prime locations in San Jose for speed safety cameras include Monterey Road and Curtner Avenue, along with Berryessa Road and King Road. District 1 will have the lowest number, just three cameras, while District 7 will have the highest with 17 locations.

"Speed kills," District 7 Councilmember Bien Doan said at the meeting. "If it's predictable, it's preventable."

But nonprofit leaders with the REAL Coalition and the Santa Clara Valley Chapter of the ACLU of Northern California have raised privacy concerns about potential video surveillance and costly speeding tickets given disproportionately in communities of color. Spokesperson Victor Sin said the city's own data shows proposed camera locations are in communities with low-income residents and residents of color.

"We are deeply concerned that this program will disproportionately result in the ticketing and extraction of wealth from diverse residents," Sin said.

Lam Cruz, city traffic division manager, said the pilot program doesn't capture videos, and any information captured will not be used for law enforcement or immigration purposes. Additionally, Heather Hoshii, deputy director of transportation, said the system doesn't have access to any piece of DMV information outside the parking citation itself.

"We will be following all of the city's outlined data policies and procedures, and those will be included in the (request for proposal) to ensure that vendors are being responsible and responsive to those requirements," Hoshii said.

Kathleen Gallagher, a representative of speed safety technology company Blueline Solutions, told San Jose officials her company is interested in partnering with the city.

"We're really glad to see how quickly the city of San Jose is moving along toward the (request for proposal), because it shows that you really see the value in these pilot programs," she said. "You will be amazed, when these programs are run correctly, at the short amount of time that you have a huge reduction in speeding."

Editor's Note: This story was originally published by San Jose Spotlight.