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Aurora staff, APD present data and enforcement plan amid recent spike in traffic fatalities
Summary
Public Works and Aurora Police Department presented crash trends, countermeasures and enforcement activity to the committee; staff said fatalities peaked in 2023, recent years show declines and the city will pair engineering, enforcement and education with new automated speed cameras and grant‑funded enforcement.
City transportation staff and Aurora Police Department officers briefed the Transportation & Public Safety committee on crash trends, enforcement actions and planned countermeasures under a Safe Systems approach.
Carly Camp, Deputy Director of Transportation and Mobility, presented statewide and local crash data showing an increase in traffic fatalities after 2020, with Aurora’s peak occurring in 2023 and a decline in 2024 and year‑to‑date 2025. Camp cited statewide and local contributing factors: low seat‑belt use, speeding (a factor in roughly 30–40% of fatal crashes), increased impaired driving, distracted driving and a disproportionate share of fatalities among young men.
Camp outlined the city’s engineering work—proven countermeasures, a city‑wide Safety Action Plan in partnership with Adams County, a traffic calming program and multiple signal and crossing projects. She described a draft dashboard for tracking safety metrics and prioritized work.
Commander Matt Brookbacher and other APD officers described enforcement activity. APD’s traffic team has conducted thousands of stops this year; Brookbacher reported the traffic section issued 5,791 summonses year‑to‑date (traffic team only) and the department issued nearly 3,200 traffic tickets and more than 5,000 traffic stops during June and July alone. Brookbacher said enforcement is data driven and called out large monthly operations focused on pedestrian‑vehicle interactions; one recent operation produced 22 pedestrian violations, six vehicle summonses and four arrests for outstanding warrants.
APD also described an anti‑street‑racing initiative (SOS) that uses additional personnel and targeted enforcement; Brookbacher said the program has reduced street‑racing activity and seizure of vehicles has been an enforcement tool.
On automated enforcement, staff described an upcoming photo speed enforcement program: two automated devices with a 30‑day warning period before fines begin, targeted to school, park and residential areas in speed zones of 35 mph or lower. The program targets vehicles traveling 11 mph or more over the limit; the base fine is $40 (state cap) and $80 in school or construction zones. Violations over 25 mph above the limit would require an APD officer to issue a summons.
Councilmembers asked about program scope, camera access and coordination with IT and APD; staff said IT will integrate cameras into the city system and APD will have access. Staff requested permission to present the safety work at study session for broader discussion; councilmembers supported additional public outreach and school‑focused education efforts.
What’s next: Staff said they will continue the Safety Action Plan work, pursue technology upgrades (signal hardware and communications) and expand education and enforcement partnerships. APD said it will continue grant‑funded enforcement and report metrics to the committee.
