This summer, San Jose will begin installing new cameras along city streets in hopes of improving traffic safety.
Following San Francisco's lead, San Jose plans to install 33 speed cameras this year. Thanks to a new state law, several California cities, including San Francisco and San Jose, are allowed to begin pilot programs for speed cameras.
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WATCH HEREAdditionally, San Jose is planning to install its first four red light cameras this summer.
The red-light cameras are expected to be up by July, and the speeding cameras will be in place by Fall.
NBC Bay Area was told on Wednesday that all these cameras will be concentrated in areas that historically have a high number of speeding reports and traffic accidents.
“We want people to be aware that they’re there. We’re not going to surprise them with the cameras. We want them to slow down and to obey red lights,” said Colin Heyne, a spokesperson with the San Jose Department of Transportation.
Speed Cameras
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The speed cameras will cite drivers who go 11 miles per hour or more over the posted speed limit. The first time a vehicle is caught speeding on the cameras, if the vehicle is traveling between 11 and 15 miles per hour over the posted speed limit, the registered owner will only get a warning.
For these speeding citations, the fines start at a $50 fine and go up depending on how fast the vehicle is going. However, the ticket will be issued by the city’s department of transportation, meaning it won't go on a person’s driving record.
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SIGN UP The speed cameras will only capture the driver's rear license plate, and those photos will be deleted within 60 days after your case is resolved, the city said.
The city estimates the speed cameras program will cost between $15.4 million and $17.9 million over the five years of the pilot program.
Heyne explained that due to delays in federal funding, the city doesn't expect those cameras to be installed until the fall. Heyne said that San Jose was awarded an $8.5 million grant from the federal government during the prior presidential administration, however, the administration changed before the city got a contract.
At the start of the Trump administration in January, this grant was put on pause, as were many other federal grants. Heyne said the Trump administration did not terminate the city's grant and recently sent the city a contract with new terms and conditions, which city attorneys are now evaluating. By the fall, the city should have an idea of whether it will accept the federal funding or seek funding elsewhere, Heyne said.
Red Light Cameras
The red light cameras will be installed first, in July, the city said. The cameras will issue a citation if the driver is caught running a red light or rolling through a right-hand turn at a red light. The red light camera violations will go through San Jose's Police Department and will result in a point on your driver's license. The fine for running a red light is $486, and the fine for making a right turn on a rolling stop is $234.
The red light cameras will record video and take photos of the driver and vehicle license plates. Those photos and videos will be deleted two years after the investigation is complete, the city said.
In June of 2022, the city approved a pilot program for the red light camera system. These four cameras will be the first red light cameras as part of this program and will operate as part of a one-year pilot.
This program will be funded by city allocations of $733,000.
Community feedback
Rideshare driver Conor Gill told NBC Bay Area on Wednesday that he isn’t thrilled to hear about the new additions.
“I don’t like it. I think it’s kind of a scam. They’re just trying to tax people that are driving trying to make a living. We should just have cops give tickets the normal way instead of trusting technology,” He said.
Others don’t mind, especially if there’s an 10 mile an hour buffer.
The city said the money collected will go to pay for the system, and any additional funds will be used on traffic safety projects around San Jose.
The city is hosting a series of public meetings to talk more about the tech and the timeline. For more information, visit sanjoseca.gov.
