Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Traffic Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Newport police present traffic‑safety data as automated‑camera program faces legal and community scrutiny
Summary
Police briefed the council on new solar speed displays, trailer data and automated enforcement results; the Admiral Kalfas automated camera pilot generated many warnings and later fewer citations, but signage and statutory interpretation have led to court continuances and public debate. Councilors asked for further legal and signage clarification.
Chief Ryan Duffy delivered the police department’s quarterly traffic‑safety update and walked councilors through placement and data from 10 pole‑mounted speed displays, mobile speed trailers and new yield‑to‑pedestrian signage. The devices collect speed and volume data used to inform directed enforcement.
Chief Duffy gave street‑level statistics — average speeds, volumes and the tally of vehicles classified as “speeders” in the presentation — and said the data have guided enforcement posts and patrol deployment. On the pilot automated enforcement camera on Admiral Kalfas Road, the chief said officials issued a warning phase followed by citations; citation counts fell over subsequent months, which the department interprets as behavior change. “In September, when we began giving citations, we gave out 3,900 citations. In October it was reduced to 3,100, and then in November down to 1,400,” Chief Duffy said.
Councilors pressed for clarity on how vendors, signage and statute intersect with enforcement. City Manager Kennedy and the department acknowledged that state statute language on signage has been interpreted differently by jurisdictions and that municipal court challenges led to continuances; the manager said the city is adjusting signage to match prevailing interpretations and is prepared to comply with judicial findings. “The statute calls for 4 signs per approach,” the manager said, noting local interpretations vary and the city is reviewing the permit and signage layout to ensure compliance.
Members of the public questioned the camera placements and whether required signage had been installed; one commenter provided DOT correspondence and contended the Admiral Kalfas setup lacked the number and size of warning signs called for in state guidance. Councilors also discussed where the city should place additional red‑light enforcement cameras; Chief Duffy recommended the Bellevue‑Memorial intersection for red‑light enforcement based on accident history and enforcement challenges.
The council did not vote to expand automated enforcement at this meeting; members asked the administration to return with clearer signage, legal analysis and a staff recommendation for any new camera placements. The municipal court actions and vendor‑permitting questions remain open and are influencing the next procedural steps.
Next steps: Administration and police will review signage and statutory interpretation, coordinate with RIDOT as needed, and report back with proposed locations and any required ordinance or signage changes.
