Portland’s speed cameras have disappeared. Here’s why

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Portland has used fixed cameras to catch and ticket speeders for almost a decade, but now the cameras have suddenly disappeared.  

The speed cameras take photos of drivers going too fast, and the identification of their license plates helps generate speeding tickets. These 32 cameras have disappeared, but they will be returning in an even greater number.

City leaders say the cameras are effective in getting drivers to slow down, especially in what are high crash areas.

Officials told KOIN 6 News the reason the cameras were taken down is that the city is changing vendors and new cameras will be replacing the old ones.

“The city has been working with a contract that’s been problematic. They’re getting a new contractor that’s going to be good,” Portland City Councilor Steve Novick said. “I talked to the head of Multnomah County Courts the other day and they said that there’s ways that they can expand their capacity to handle more processing, more speeding and red light camera violations.”

Novick is one of the council members who are pushing to get more of the fixed speed and red light cameras installed to help reduce traffic deaths, saying they are effective in reducing speeds.

The city is looking to double to 64 the number of cameras in the next few years — adding three more locations in the next few months.