Sudbury’s speed cameras will move this month

The automated cameras that catch speeders in Sudbury are being moved to new location this month.

Sudbury’s automated speed enforcement cameras are moving to new locations this month.

Implemented in March 2024, officials with Greater Sudbury said the cameras have been effective in slowing average speeds in the areas they are deployed.

“We have seen significant reductions in the operating speed of those roadways, essentially down to near or at the posted speed limit,” said David Knutson, the city’s manager of traffic and transportation.

Knutson said the speed reductions often continue even after the camera is moved.

“We have been seeing at numerous locations speed reductions or lasting speed reductions, sometimes five to six kilometres per hour, which isn’t insignificant,” he said.

Between March and November, 11,000 fines were issued. Knutson said ticket revenue will be allocated to the Road Safety Programming Fund.

“Staff were successful in passing a business case to direct … all funds generated from the automated speed enforcement program into a road safety programming fund,” he said.

“Things such as traffic calming or road safety messaging.”

He said staff will be bringing a report to the operations committee outlining how the money is going to be spent in 2025.

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The project has been met with mixed public reactions, including various acts of vandalism. In an email to CTV News, Greater Sudbury Police Service said there have been 12 acts of vandalism reported since the speed cameras were installed.

Knutson said he has heard vandalism incidents have decreased in the last few months, which he said could be in part due to the colder weather.

However, he said he believes public opinion has shifted, as residents see the impact of having fewer speeders in their neighbourhoods.

“We’ve heard from them saying, you know, they can’t believe how easy it is to say, you know, leave their driveway now or how much safer it feels to walk down the sidewalk … now the cars aren’t flying by,” Knutson said.

“Or even how much quieter their neighbourhood is.”

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CTV News spoke with a number of residents in the Minnow Lake area, where two speed cameras are currently located.

“I’m all for them. I’ve lived in this area for a long time, and there’s a lot of fast drivers,” said one resident.

“I’ve noticed that the traffic is a little slower nowadays with the cameras.”

Another resident said he couldn’t wait for a speed camera to be installed on Second Avenue.

“It makes people slow down,” he said.

“We got kids around here, and so it’s awesome.”

But another resident -- who did not want to appear on camera --said they didn’t agree with the speed cameras.

“I think it’s just a cash grab,” they said.

“I’d rather see police out for traffic enforcement.”

Knutson said locations are selected based on a number of factors, including history of speed-related complaints, volume of traffic, number of speed-related collisions and proximity to schools.

The new locations are:

• Second Avenue, Sudbury (from Scarlett Road to Bancroft Drive)
• Hawthorne Drive (from Barry Downe Road to Auger Avenue)
• Countryside Drive (from Countryside Drive to Algonquin Road)
• Loach’s Road (from Regent Street to Oriole Drive)
• Notre Dame Street West (from Rayside Avenue to Marier Street)
• Valleyview Road (from MR80 to Fournier Drive)

The cameras will be moved by the end of January.