City updates automated traffic enforcement: stop-arm cameras face technical issues; red-light pilot targeted at Jubal Early and Pleasant Valley

Patrick (city staff presenting the program) updated the committee on Winchester's Automated Traffic Enforcement Camera Program, which currently operates school-zone speed cameras and school-bus stop-arm cameras and is preparing a pilot red-light camera at the intersection of Jubal Early Drive and South Pleasant Valley Road.

Patrick said recent state law changes require additional documentation for school-zone citations (for example, confirming that flashing lights were active when a citation is issued) and the city and vendor have implemented a solution. He reported that school-zone camera citations since January total 3,189, a 47.8% decrease from 2024, and that year-to-date revenue received after vendor fees is $228,544 (down 28% year-over-year).

Stop-arm school-bus cameras: Patrick said the stop-arm camera program is currently on hold because the system is experiencing technical issues that cause it to capture fewer violations than bus drivers report; the vendor is investigating. He said clips still captured are reviewed by staff before citations issue.

Red-light camera pilot: Patrick said state law limits the city to two automated traffic-signal enforcement intersections based on population, and the city's first target is the Jubal Early / South Pleasant Valley intersection, which staff identified as the city's highest crash-prone location. The vendor is completing a traffic study that will be made public; once the final report confirms the problem and the equipment is installed, the city will run a public information campaign and at least a month-long warning period before issuing citations.

Committee discussion focused on pedestrian safety at the Jubal Early/Pleasant Valley location. One councilor urged inclusion of pedestrian counts in future studies and suggested interim measures such as targeted officer presence at peak hours, repainting crosswalks and reviewing signal timing. Patrick and other staff said the vendor study is vehicle-focused and that pedestrian counts would require separate manual or observational data collection; staff agreed to add a pedestrian-safety assessment to the follow-up list.

Ending: No enforcement or policy change was adopted at the meeting; staff will provide the vendor's final traffic study and pursue follow-up pedestrian and roadway-safety work as part of the implementation phase.