Extreme speeding has doubled since photo radar restrictions

Edmonton streets are seeing dangerous speeds spike. Since the province removed photo radar from most roads, the number of vehicles driving 30 kilometres per hour or more over the limit has jumped 128 per cent, according to data presented Tuesday to city council.

The University of Alberta's predictive analysis suggests these increases wouldn't have happened if automated enforcement had stayed in place. In fact, speeds likely would have kept declining as they had for years before the restrictions.

The human cost is mounting. Last year the city recorded 32 traffic fatalities — the highest since Vision Zero launched in 2015. Eighty-three per cent occurred on arterial roads and at intersections. Red light running is also up 38 per cent.

"The data is clear — speeds on our streets are at an unsafe level right now," said Mayor Andrew Knack Tuesday. He's asking the provincial transportation minister to reconsider the decision, noting that photo radar revenues once covered enforcement costs. In 2019, the city collected $52.9 million through the Traffic Safety fund. This year it expects just $5.12 million — a 90 per cent drop.

The city has applied to restore automated enforcement at eight intersections, but the province says it won't review those applications until September.

Meanwhile, the city will need to find an extra $530,000 annually to maintain current enforcement levels, likely through property taxes.