Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety Technology topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council OKs PennDOT video-sharing agreement; members ask about photo enforcement and speed cameras
Summary
The council approved a nonexclusive video-sharing agreement with PennDOT to gain web-based access to state traffic cameras in the city and discussed, without action, the legal limits of photo enforcement and local radar use.
Williamsport City Council approved a resolution on March 27 authorizing a nonexclusive video-sharing license agreement with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania through PennDOT to allow city staff web-based access to PennDOT traffic camera streams.
Sean Bashan (City technology/public-safety staff) and others explained the agreement covers two permanent PennDOT cameras in the city (Market Street and the Spur) and allows PennDOT to deploy temporary cameras for special events; the city's access will be via an online login. City staff said there is no cost to the city and no new software purchase required.
Council members and staff stressed limits on use: the agreement will not expand the city's authority to use camera footage for traffic citation enforcement. Council and the mayor also discussed state-level constraints on photo enforcement and local radar. The mayor said Pennsylvania currently permits photo enforcement only in limited locations (citing Roosevelt Boulevard) and that legislation to allow broader photo enforcement or local radar use is under discussion; local pilot programs for speed/photo enforcement in other parts of the state were identified as potential models, but no change in local authority was authorized at the meeting.
The resolution passed on a roll-call vote of 7-0.
