Stamford officials may explore red-light, speed cameras now that state has made them legal
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Frank Petise, Stamford’s Transportation, Traffic and Parking bureau chief, said the city would likely explore the possibility of installing the cameras, after the General Assembly passed a law that would allow cities and towns to install such devices, which had been previously forbidden save for a few locations along highways.
“We’re definitely going to take a look at it,” Petise said. “We’re always looking at areas around schools and high crash locations.”
The law went into effect on Oct. 1.
Petise was at a local public meeting in May about traffic accidents and deaths along Washington Boulevard, one of the city’s deadliest roads that some have nicknamed the “Boulevard of Death.” Attendees suggested adding red light or speed cameras along the corridor, but at that time, Petise said the city was hamstrung by a state law that didn’t allow them.
Four pedestrians have died in crashes on Washington Boulevard since late 2019. The most recent instance was in December 2022, when 24-year-old Michael Talbot allegedly struck 25-year-olds Giovani Vega Benis and Yuliana Arias Lozano while driving at 86 miles per hour, killing both.
Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons advocated for speed cameras in written testimony read to the legislature’s transportation committee in January.
“Stamford experienced a tragic loss … when two pedestrians were struck by a driver who was under the influence and driving 86 mph on Washington Boulevard, one of the main corridors of our city,” she wrote. “Last year, the city of Stamford had six fatal crashes and five total pedestrian deaths – one of the highest in recent years.”
Simmons signed an executive order in 2022 that set a goal of eliminating severe traffic injuries and deaths across the city by 2032.
Stamford’s Board of Representatives passed a resolution last year calling on the state legislature to allow speed cameras to be installed near school property.
Rep. Jonathan Jacobson, D-12, was the person who wrote and introduced the resolution, due to concerns from many of his constituents about traffic on Strawberry Hill Avenue, where two schools are located — Strawberry Hill School and Stamford High School.
The street is one of the city’s most problematic areas, which traffic officials say they are hoping to fix. It was the site of a fatal crash in 2016, when an 18-year-old student was struck and killed by a van while trying to cross Strawberry Hill Avenue.
In a recent interview, Jacobson said he had submitted an agenda item to the Board of Representatives to review the impact of the state law and study how the city could install speed cameras near school zones in the future.
“Not only will it affect the safety of our students and teachers, but it will further make our roadways safer for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists alike,” he said.
While many are celebrating the state’s recent decision to approve the use of such cameras, the measure received pushback from groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union of Connecticut and the NAACP. They have argued that the cameras pose privacy risks and could disproportionately affect people of color.
Another concern is that the cameras identify cars by license plate, not by the driver. That means residents who allow others to drive their cars could get a speeding ticket for an infraction they didn’t commit.
Nonetheless, many have supported the addition of cameras due to the rising number of accidents and deaths on Connecticut roads. Last year, pedestrian deaths hit a 41-year high in the state.
Red light cameras are usually mounted on poles at intersections where there is a history of traffic infractions. The camera is triggered when a vehicle passes over the sensors on the pavement after the signal turns red.
The state has not put forward funding for towns to purchase red light camera systems.
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