Drivers slow for cameras

Red-light running from the eastbound lanes of Coursey Boulevard at Sherwood Forest Boulevard has slowed to a trickle since photo-enforcement cameras were installed in February.

When the cameras were initially turned on to monitor the eastbound approach at that intersection, 46 citations were issued to owners of vehicles who entered the intersection after the signal had turned red.

Since then, an average of one citation per week has been issued because of images captured by a camera.

“That’s really what we’re trying to accomplish with this program, to change driver behavior in order to make these intersections safer,” said Irma Plummer, assistant chief administrator for Mayor-President Kip Holden.

Starting Monday, cameras will begin monitoring two additional approaches at the busy intersection. Plummer said the red-light monitoring program will be expanded to include the northbound approach to the intersection from Sherwood Forest and the westbound approach from Coursey Boulevard.

In all, five new red-light cameras will be activated Monday, including westbound Corporate Boulevard at College Drive, and both approaches from Sherwood Forest to the intersection of North Harrell’s Ferry Road.

In addition to the five cameras that go into service on Monday, additional cameras are due to be switched on during coming weeks to monitor the following intersections:

- Southbound College Drive at Interstate 10.

- Westbound I-10 exit at College Drive.

- Westbound I-10 exit at Essen Lane.

- Northbound College Drive at Perkins Road.

- Northbound Airline Highway at Goodwood Boulevard.

- Northbound Essen Lane at Hennessy Boulevard.

- Southbound Lobdell Avenue at Florida Boulevard.

- Northbound Nicholson Drive at Burbank Drive.

z Northbound Sherwood Forest Boulevard at Florida Boulevard.

- Southbound Sherwood Forest Boulevard at Florida Boulevard.

- Eastbound Florida Boulevard at Sherwood Forest Boulevard.

City-Parish Traffic Engineer Ingolf Partenheimer said there is no firm schedule at this point for installing those 11 additional cameras.

“It’s going to depend on how long it takes the state to approve the permits,” Partenheimer said.

Partenheimer said the city-parish contract with American Traffic Solutions Inc. calls for the contractor to install and monitor a total of 50 photo enforcement cameras at intersections across East Baton Rouge Parish.

Partenheimer said the first 25 cameras are being installed inside the Baton Rouge city limits in conjunction with city police, who review all photo enforcement citations before they are mailed to the owners of vehicles caught running red lights.

Eventually, Partenheimer wants to include intersections in the parish’s unincorporated areas, but noted that would require coordination with the Sheriff’s Office.

In addition to traffic counts, Partenheimer said, accident data and citation history are used to determine which intersections need to be monitored with cameras.

Partenheimer said it’s possible contractor American Traffic Solutions may choose to relocate the cameras from some of the 50 intersections if the citation rate drops too low.

“They’re in it for the money. It’s like a fishing hole. If you don’t get any action at one location, you move to another,” Partenheimer said.

More than 3,000 citations were mailed out during the first three and a half months of the program.

Partenheimer said video taken by photo enforcement cameras has shown as many as three vehicles in a row running a red light at a time.

When a vehicle is caught on camera running a red light, a citation is mailed to the owner. Cost of a first-time violation is $117, but vehicle owners can request an administrative hearing to contest the ticket.

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