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Santa Ana council directs staff to explore joining state speed‑camera pilot and approves Warner Avenue construction contract
Summary
Councilmembers debated AB 645 speed‑camera pilot inclusion after recent fatal crashes and heard public concerns about costs and equity; members also approved the Warner Avenue $25 million contract after discussion of utility and contractor delays and a projected finish in late 2026–27.
Santa Ana councilmembers debated policy and funding options Friday for curbing dangerous driving after a recent series of fatal crashes and approved a major construction contract for Warner Avenue.
Councilmember Phil Becerra asked staff to pursue a legislative avenue to allow Santa Ana to join the state’s limited automated speed‑enforcement pilot (AB 645). He and several councilmembers cited recent fatal collisions in the Segestrom corridor and said automated enforcement could reduce speeds and related fatalities if paired with a public‑education campaign and equity protections. Discussion focused on pilot rules under AB 645 — including a mandated public‑education period and an initial warning period before fines — the likely capital and operating costs cited by other cities, and whether other traffic‑calming infrastructure might be a lower‑cost near‑term option.
Councilmembers asked staff for a cost comparison between camera pilots and alternatives such as speed feedback signs, speed cushions and targeted infrastructure investments. Director Rosas and other staff said pilot costs vary by scale: examples cited in the meeting referenced hundreds of thousands to about $1 million annual operating costs for multi‑location pilots in small cities, and staff recommended returning with a detailed cost and equity analysis.
On a separate but related item, the council approved a contract for Warner Avenue construction (about a $25 million project). Staff and the public discussed more than a decade of delays, litigation with a prior contractor, utility relocations (Southern California Edison, AT&T, Charter) and the remaining funding needed to finish the corridor; staff said they plan to require a contractor schedule and anticipate completion in late 2026–27 if additional funding and utility work proceed as planned.
Council direction: staff were asked to return with a report laying out (1) the legislative steps to pursue inclusion in the AB 645 pilot, (2) expected capital and operating costs for a pilot scaled to Santa Ana, (3) alternative short‑term traffic‑calming measures for high‑risk corridors (including Segestrom), and (4) a proposed community education plan aligned with AB 645 requirements (for example, 30‑day public notification and an initial warning window). The Warner Avenue contract received majority approval and will proceed to execution with staff oversight and coordination on utility relocations.
