http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/v-print/story/416950.html 4/14/2008
Published April 11, 2008
Christian Hill The first red-light cameras in Thurston County are set to begin operating May 1. Two camera systems will monitor westbound and eastbound traffic on Pacific Avenue at Sleater-Kinney Road. A City Council committee gave final approval Friday to activate the systems, after directing that drivers who run red lights receive warning notices for the first 30 days. Starting June 1, violators will be mailed $124 citations. "This is going to go on for a long time," Councilwoman Ann Burgman said in support of the grace period. "We'll just get them settled in." The start dates could be pushed back as the city makes final preparations, Police Chief Dusty Pierpoint said. The city began exploring the use of the cameras in late 2005. Pierpoint and council members have said they expect the program to be "revenue-neutral" and that the motivation is public safety, not getting money. They say drivers running red lights is a growing problem.
They cite national statistics that show collisions involving drivers running red lights are more likely to result in serious injury or death because of the speed and angle of vehicles. Pacific at Sleater-Kinney was chosen because police noticed it has a high number of incidents of red-light running.
A survey by a vendor backed that up. There were 142 violations during about 24 hours of monitoring of all four directions by the vendor in late 2005. A follow-up review by American Traffic Solutions, which the city has contracted with to install and run the cameras, recorded 15 violations in an eight-hour period in two directions last fall, the police chief said.
Pierpoint said he wanted cameras set up at another bad intersection at Marvin Road and Martin Way. Marvin Road is a state route, however, and restrictions on the placement of a pole for the camera systems have eliminated that location from consideration for the time being, he said.
ATS is charging the city $9,200 a month, the contract says. The city only will receive money if fines collected cover the fees and unpaid balances. The city needs to collect fines from 75 violations each month to pay costs.
The city contracted for the cameras for 15 months. The city will use the final three months to determine whether it should continue the contract. The contract then could be extended for six years, although the city could opt out after three.
A police officer will review video captured by the camera to verify a violation before mailing a citation to the vehicle's registered owner. The citation includes images of the violation, and people will be able to watch the video online with a personal identification number they get on the ticket. They can contest the citations in Thurston County District Court.
In 2005, lawmakers gave cities the ability to use cameras to ticket violators. Lakewood used the system under a pilot program.
Cameras capture the license plates of vehicles that enter an intersection after a light turns red. State law prohibits cameras from taking pictures of occupants because of privacy concerns. In August, Lacey City Council approved a law authorizing the use of the cameras within city limits. Christian Hill covers Lacey and the military for The Olympian. He can be reached at 360-754-5427.