The City of Portland is about to install a speed camera at SW Beaverton Hillsdale Highway and SW 35th.
Kristian Foden-Vencil/OPB
Speed cameras will go up this week along Beaverton Hillsdale Highway — in a first for Oregon.
Up to now, speed cameras have only been allowed at dangerous stop lights and in vans that police temporarily park on the shoulder.
After getting permission to expand those locations from the state legislature, the city of Portland is putting permanent cameras along high-crash corridors like SW Beaverton Hillsdale Highway, SE Powell Boulevard and NE Marine Drive.
Portland Bureau of Transportation spokesman Dylan Rivera said they want drivers to know where the cameras are.
“This is not a sting; this is not a fundraiser. This is about getting people to slow down," he said. "We want the public to make these cameras obsolete because they give so few tickets because people are slowing down and following the speed limit. That’s our intent.”
The city has 10 high-crash corridors. They make up 3 percent of Portland’s roads but account for more than half of pedestrian fatalities.
Drivers will get warning letters for the first 30 days of operation.