Mayor Matt Mahan Launches Automated Speed Safety Cameras and Advances 500-Acre Coyote Valley Preservation

Speed Safety Camera Program Deployed Across 33 High-Crash Corridors

SAN JOSE, California — Taking bold, technological action to curb traffic fatalities and protect pedestrians, Mayor Matt Mahan, Vice Mayor Pam Foley, and the San Jose Department of Transportation officially launched the city's automated Speed Safety Camera Program in late October 2026. Authorized under California Assembly Bill 645, the pilot deploys specialized camera units across 33 prioritized corridors with documented histories of excessive speeding and severe collisions.

The initiative begins with a 60-day public awareness and warning period, providing motorists time to adjust driving behaviors before civil citation enforcement begins. Mayor Mahan stressed that automated enforcement acts as a proven deterrent against reckless driving, protecting vulnerable school children, seniors, and cyclists across San Jose's most active transit avenues.

Mayor Mahan and City Council Protect 500 Acres in Coyote Valley

In environmental governance, Mayor Mahan partnered with District 10 Councilmember George Casey to establish legally binding conservation covenants safeguarding more than 500 acres of open space surrounding the historic IBM Almaden Research Center in Coyote Valley. Following the site’s acquisition for data center development, city leaders negotiated enforceable easements that restrict all industrial construction strictly to the property's existing 35-acre developed envelope.

Environmental advocates and open space leaders celebrated the preservation victory, noting that protecting Coyote Valley’s rolling hills maintains essential wildlife corridors connecting the Santa Cruz Mountains to the Diablo Range and shields downstream communities from flood hazards.

Balancing Technological Growth with Rigorous Ecological Standards

Inside City Hall chambers, the San Jose City Council continued deliberations on comprehensive regulatory standards for high-density computing infrastructure. The proposed framework mandates that new facilities contract for 100% renewable electricity, incorporate water-efficient closed-loop cooling systems, and pay municipal impact fees toward localized clean power generation, ensuring Silicon Valley's digital expansion respects environmental limits.