Phoenix City Council approves $12 million contract for traffic enforcement cameras

Phoenix is spending up to $12 million over the next five years on traffic enforcement cameras after the City Council approved a contract Wednesday with a Mesa-based company.

The move puts money down on a plan approved last fall. The only no vote was cast by the only Phoenix City Council member to join since then, in part over efforts by state lawmakers to outlaw traffic cameras.

Vice Mayor Ann O’Brien said she would prefer the police ticket speeders and red-light runners, but there simply aren’t enough.

“Phoenix has 28 dedicated motor officers assigned to speed and traffic enforcement. And we have more than 5,000 miles. Let that sink in,” O’ Brien said.

The contract must be renewed annually.

Officials say they’re crunching three years of traffic and crash data to decide where to place enforcement cameras.

Cameras in Tempe caught nearly 2,300 speeders and red-light runners over just two weeks. The figure was cited by City Council members in neighboring Phoenix.

Councilman Kevin Robinson said photo-enforcement will change behavior.

“If we’re OK with people dying with regularity. ... And you look as to why it is happening, it's because of the way people drive,” Robinson said.

This week, Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed a bill that would have outlawed traffic enforcement cameras.