20 new red light cameras coming to Ottawa by end of 2017

The City of Ottawa is setting up 20 new red light cameras at high-collision intersections between now and the end of 2017, hoping to make roads safer and let police focus on other issues.

Monday's announcement was made near the intersection of Old Tenth Line Road and St. Joseph Boulevard in Orlans, where a new red light camera will be up and running in the next few days, said Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson.

Four more cameras that snap pictures of vehicles that run red lights so they can be fined are going up by the end of this year at the following intersections:

• Gladstone Avenue and Rochester Street near Little Italy.
• Kent Street and Catherine Street near the central bus station.
• Bank Street and Riverside Drive near Billings Bridge.
• Kirkwoodand Coldreyavenues in Carlington.

Fifteen more cameras will be installed in 2017 at a cost of $35,000 a year each.

The $260finescollected from the cameraswill go toward community safety initiatives, Watson said, adding statistics show there are fewer collisions and injuries at intersections that have red light cameras.

"Collisions resulting from red light running tend to be more severe than other intersection collisions because they usually involve at least one vehicle travelling very quickly," he said.

"These cameras are one tool we have to make our roads safer," said Coun. Keith Egli, chair of the city's transportation committee.

Watson said cameras also let police focus on other issues instead of assigning officers to watch intersections.

Ottawa currently has 34 of these cameras, set up at intersections with high collision rates since 2000.

The city currently does not have the ability to fine drivers with Quebec licence platescaught on a red light camera, althoughPhil Landry, manager of traffic services,says they're working on that with the goal of being able to in early 2017.