The City of Bend has given the green light for a vendor to install red light cameras at three intersections. At their meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 17, the Bend City Council approved a three-year contract with American Traffic Solutions for $2.3 million with the ability to extend the contract two additional years for $780,000. During the meeting, Bend Chief of Police Mike Krantz said this is a way to use technology to keep roads safer.
A total of four cameras will be installed at three intersections in Bend. Two cameras will be at the intersection of NE 27th Street & NE Neff Road monitoring south and westbound traffic. One camera will be at SE Reed Market Road & SE 3rd Street monitoring westbound traffic. A fourth camera will be installed on South Highway 97 at SE Powers Road monitoring northbound traffic.
The goal is to discourage drivers from speeding through intersections. Chief Krantz said a similar program in Tigard found that red light cameras affect driving behavior within a one-mile radius of the cameras. During Wednesday’s city council meeting, Krantz cited a national study that says more than 136,000 people were hurt and 1,085 killed in crashes involving red-light running in the U.S. in 2023. The study found that cameras deter violations and increase compliance. Krantz says the ultimate goal is to change driver behavior.
The cameras will be installed by American Traffic Solutions in November. A training and public education period will take place in December. Warning signs will be in place to alert drivers. In January, violators will receive a warning in the mail. By next spring, drivers who speed or run red lights at those locations will receive a citation in the mail. Chief Krantz told city councilors that the program is designed to generate revenue to eventually pay for itself.
Police traffic enforcement officers recommended the initial locations. The program has the ability to increase to 10 cameras and possibly a mobile unit in the future. The annual operating cost to run 10 cameras for one year is estimated at $648,000. The cost increases if a mobile unit is added. Bend police will also add a traffic sergeant and two automated traffic enforcement agents to manage the program.
The city is also talking with the Oregon Department of Transportation to possibly install future cameras at intersections they control such as Greenwood Avenue.
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While safety is an important goal, spending $2.3 million on just four red light cameras for three locations is not a wise use of public funds. The data cited is national in scope, not Bend specific, and does not prove that these cameras will meaningfully improve safety in our community.
The city itself admits the program is intended to “generate revenue to eventually pay for itself,” which highlights its real purpose and that is raising money through citations rather than solving traffic issues. Studies in other cities have shown that red light cameras often create new problems, including abrupt stops leading to rear-end collisions, while doing little to reduce serious accidents.
For a fraction of the cost, Bend could invest in proven safety measures such as improved intersection design, better signal timing, flashing crosswalks, and increased officer presence—solutions that directly address unsafe driving behavior without relying on an expensive outside vendor contract.
At a time when resources are limited, it is wasteful to commit millions to a controversial program with questionable safety benefits, when those funds could be used for infrastructure improvements that deliver real, lasting results
Good points Nicole, and to add to that I’m sure there will be additional cost because “Bend police will also add a traffic sergeant and two automated traffic enforcement agents to manage the program.”
Excellent points Nicole! Keep in mind folks, that most of all red light cameras are set to generate tickets, period. I timed a left hand turn lane at 3 seconds with red light cameras, barely 2 cars were able to get through the intersection! Now that’s a racket, with little to do with safety.
I do believe Bend is at a crossroads, and unfortunately, too many recent decisions by our City Council point toward fiscal irresponsibility and short-sighted planning. What we are seeing is not a single misstep, but a troubling pattern.
The $10 million tax deferment for the Jackstraw property is one example—rewarding a savvy developer while doing nothing to address Bend’s urgent need for affordable housing. The new transportation tax is another. By placing the burden solely on city residents, avoiding a public vote, and exempting visitors and county residents, the council undermined both fairness and transparency.
Other projects raise similar concerns. The proposed pedestrian bridge grows more expensive by the day, while its true value to residents remains questionable. The Greenwood “road diet” was rolled out with poor planning and timing, creating unnecessary congestion. Purchasing motels for low-barrier housing may sound compassionate, but without a sustainable plan, taxpayers will be left carrying the bill when grant money runs out.
Meanwhile, approvals for high-rise developments—including at the Jackstraw site—further erode Bend’s mountain views and unique character. These choices sacrifice long-term livability for short-term growth.
Bend deserves better. We need leaders committed to fiscal responsibility, transparency, and balanced growth that protects residents as well as the natural beauty that defines our community.
I’ve lived in Bend for almost eight years, and the changes have been dramatic. I can only imagine how long-time residents feel as they watch forests cleared, views diminished, and property taxes rise year after year on fixed incomes.
And I forgot to mention that the transportation tax I mentioned was put on our water and sewer bill- what? Meanwhile they let Van Lifers, from other states park/dwell on our streets (Drake Park) and dump black water down our sewer drains while we foot the bill -what?