No more warnings for red-light runners

By Kari Griffin

Baytown Sun

Published April 24, 2008

Yesterday was the last day red-light runners could get off with just a warning. Starting at 12:01 a.m., folks not following the traffic laws at the Garth and Baker Road intersection began driving away with a pending fine of $75.

Three of the 10 cameras slated to go up at seven intersections around town have been catching folks who don’t stop for red at the Baker and Garth Road intersection for thirty days now and warnings have gone out to about 500 drivers.

Baytown Police officers reviewing the tapes found several situations where drivers received warnings for turning right on red without coming to a complete stop. Four of the warnings went to Baytown Police officers.

Capt. David Alford said the officers were warned and they will get a ‘ticket’ if they do this again now that citations are being mailed out.

But deputy city manager Bob Leiper assures drivers that the camera can tell the difference between motorists taking a legal right turn on red and those breezing through without ever stopping.

“The system senses movement through an in-pavement sensor after the light has turned red. Therefore, if someone pulls up to a red light and stops before proceeding with the turn, the system will not be activated,” Leiper said. “Furthermore during the review of the violations, the police officer views a video and can ascertain if the driver came to a stop at some point before the turn. If they did stop, the violation is rejected and the vehicle owner does not receive a violation.”

During the 30-day warning period, only about a handful of violations were thrown out by police reviewing the tapes. The rest were legitimate violations.

Baytown City Council approved a five-year contract with American Traffic Solutions in August of last year.

An eight-hour analysis studying the number of violations at various spots around town determined where the cameras would be placed. The intersections chosen were Highway 146 southbound at North Alexander Drive, (which saw 11 violations), West Baker Road eastbound at Decker Drive, (11 violations), Garth Road southbound at Highway 146, (22 violations), Garth Road northbound at Interstate 10, (13 violations), Garth Road southbound at Interstate 10, (seven violations), Garth Road southbound at West Baker Road, (seven violations), West Baker Road eastbound at Garth Road, (six violations), West Baker Road westbound, (nine violations), Business 146 southbound at Wyoming Street, (eight violations) and North Alexander Drive northbound at Highway 146, (14 violations).

Aside from the three cameras at Baker Road, none of these intersections have working cameras yet because they are Texas Department of Transportation intersections and the city is still waiting on a permit from TxDOT approving an amendment to the maintenance agreement Council approved in January that places the responsibility for maintaining red-light camera equipment on the city instead of the state highway department, which maintains red lights on state roads.

“We anticipate receiving the permit any day,” Leiper said. “All of these TxDOT intersections will be constructed at the same time and will go through the same 30day warning period.”

But until the city receives the permit, Leiper cannot predict an activation date for the other cameras.

The cameras are being installed by ATS at no cost to the city, and the company will collect 55 percent of the $75 fine for each citation, ($100 for drivers who do not pay the fine within 30 days and are required to pay a $25 late-fee). The city will then take out the expense of operating the program, which requires that a Baytown Police officer view the tape from each camera to certify violations. There may also be associated legal costs.

“The amount ATS will receive is directly dependant on the number of violations actually paid,” Leiper said. “The city is reimbursed for its program expenses from the remaining 45 percent. If there is any net violation revenue after the ATS fee and the city’s expenses are deducted from the total revenue, it is divided equally between the State of Texas Trauma fund and the city.”

State law requires that any funds the city receives are to be used for traffic safety, Leiper said.

“This could be extra patrols in response to traffic complaints, public education and specific traffic enforcement programs,” he said.

Because the first citations are going out today, city officials don’t can’t give a number for the operating expenses at this time.

“The number of violations and the number of appeals and reviews will impact the operating expenses for the city,” Leiper said.

If the warning period is anything to go by, the red lights could be bringing in about $37,500 per intersection, or a total of $262,500 each month to be divided between ATS, operation expenses, the state and the city. But city officials are expecting the number of citations going out to start going down.

Leiper said before the end of the warning period that the rate of violations at Garth and Baker may actually be decreasing, which is what the city hoped would happen.

“The purpose of the red light camera program is traffic safety,” Leiper said. “As behaviors are changed in response to the program, we expect improved compliance at

all signalized intersections.”

The idea behind the cameras is that they will deter drivers from speeding through red lights, making citizens safer.

Leiper himself knows that having the cameras in place will result in motorists thinking twice before breaking the law.

“I have been traveling a number of the camera-equipped intersections in Houston and area cities for some time. I have experienced an increased awareness of red light compliance regardless of where I drive,” Leiper said. “We expect this spillover effect in many of our drivers. Most drivers will be more aware of the signal phase, and not be on the lookout for cameras.”

Alford added that people won’t have to worry about getting a citation in the mail if they follow the rules and understand that red means stop.

“Don’t run red lights,” Alford said. “It’s against the law, but primarily, it’s unsafe.”

http://baytownsun.com/story.lasso?tool=print&ewcd=3d3161c33c60e3a2 4/24/2008