The Lacombe Police Commission requested from council funding for the installation of speed cameras/red light camera at three locations in the city.
The request, which has yet to be discussed by council, if approved would mean the installation of automated traffic enforcement (ATE) cameras at HWY 2a and 50 Ave., HWY 2A and Woodland Drive and 50 Ave. and 63rd St.
These locations were chosen by LPC after they showed high speed and collision rates.
Lacombe Police Service Chief Lorne Blumhagen this imitative is one of traffic safety and is no-way a revenue generator for LPS.
“When we look at our traffic analysis and traffic safety, we are not able enforce high collision locations with traditional methods and means — so we have to look at other ways at doing business,” he said.
Blumhagen said ATE cameras are proven methods of reducing speed and collisions, with collision rates falling between 48 t0 50 per cent within two years. The amount of violations issued tend to go down within six months after installation. If approved by council, there would also be a grace period that would include a public awareness campaign and a system that would issue warnings to those offending in the intersections during the grace period
“We are not setting a threshold at a low level to increase revenues,” Blumhagen added.
Blumhagen wanted the public to know that this is a public safety imitative by LPS and revenues were not part of their research into ATE devices.
“We want people to recognize that we are doing this transparently with the ultimate goal of getting people to slow down,” he said.
If approved, Blumhagen said LPS and the LPC will work with city staff to ensure the roll out of these cameras is transparent for the public.
“We want to ensure everyone is supporting the locations — which we may need to shift based on trends — and also that we are all on the same page in terms of the way this is implemented for the purpose of public and traffic safety,” he said.
todd.vaughan@lacombeexpress.com
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