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By rdnewsNOW Staff

INTERSECTION SAFETY, ROAD UPGRADES

Alberta introducing new fund for traffic safety following changes to photo radar guidelines

Mar 27, 2025 | 2:41 PM

Alberta’s government has launched a new $13 million Traffic Safety Fund for municipalities to upgrade local roads and intersections that pose demonstrated safety risks.

The move comes just ahead of April 1, when a new Automated Traffic Enforcement Technology Guideline goes into effect. This guideline limits ATE jurisdiction to school, playground and construction zones in an effort to transition to alternative traffic calming measures. Intersection safety devices will also be limited to red light enforcement only, eliminating “speed-on-green” ticketing.

“The updated guideline will ensure that photo radar is used for safety only,” commented Devin Dreeshen, Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors. “The new provincial traffic safety fund will support municipalities in physical improvements at key intersections, helping to reduce traffic risks and enhance safe roads.”

The $13 million will be provided over three years to help municipalities re-engineer intersections to reduce collisions, including $1 million in 2025-26, $2 million over 2026-27, and the final $10 million in 2027-28.

Details will be made available on how to apply for the fund once the application process is finalized.

“The Traffic Safety Fund is a welcome addition to the overall funding available to municipalities. The Rural Municipalities of Alberta support a dynamic approach to managing traffic safety,” said Kara Westerlund, President of Rural Municipalities Alberta.

During this transition, the government encourages municipalities to use traffic calming measures instead of photo radar, but they may request provincial approval for an exemption to the photo radar ban in high-collision locations.

To apply for an exception, municipalities must submit a business case detailing collision frequency and severity at the site, relative to similar locations, and demonstrate how other safety measures aren’t feasible or would be ineffective. It must also commit to audit the site every two years to assess the effectiveness of photo radar in reducing the collisions.