This is why Photo Red matters: Recorded evidence is crucial to Spokane’s traffic safety, helping us move forward with design plans and create more efficiency in the enforcement of traffic regulations. Plus, these safety benefits come without having to dedicate extra police resources to enhance traffic enforcement. The ultimate goal is to obey traffic signals and signs and avoid the crashes, injuries, and death caused by red light running.

Below are two cases where a bike was involved:

Note the right turn on red in the below clip and the cyclist travelling at a slow speed in the upper right.

Below is a near-collision. If you look on the far left side, again, you’ll see the bicycle is travelling at a slow speed.

Spokane is one of the only cities in the country where the revenue from photo red is allocated to traffic calming measures in your neighborhoods. Neighborhood councils interested in the money will be able to submit proposals for specific traffic projects. In 2009, the estimated photo red revenue was $103,000. Traffic calming projects will need to be forwarded by the neighborhoods to the city by June of each year for evaluation.

This document outlines the process for which staff and neighborhoods will prioritize the various project proposals. The Office of Neighborhood Services will be working with the neighborhoods to educate them about this process.