City Installing 4 Red-Light Cameras Costing $350,000
Last night the Falls Church City Council voted to approve the installation of a red light camera system. Chief of Police Harry Reitze advised the Council that if all goes smoothly the system will be operational by July 10.
The cameras were approved by a 6-1 vote. In dissenting, Councilman Dan Maller stated he did not believe the system would generate sufficient revenue to justify its expense or substantially improve public safety. He noted that one of the weaknesses of the new system is that it will not delay the opposing green light if a car running the light is in the intersection.
Chief Reitze explained that the light cannot be delayed since it would throw off the synchronization of the lights just outside the City in Fairfax County. However, City Manager Wyatt Shields advised the Council that he would consult with the city engineer to determine if the delay feature could be implemented, as he recalled the previous system was able to hold the light.
Red-light-running has been a long-standing problem in the City. Vice Mayor Hal Lippman noted that the earlier system had detected over 19,000 violations in a single year.
Four cameras will be installed, presumably at the same intersections as in the past, three on Broad Street and one on South Washington Street.
The contract for the cameras, which is not to exceed $350,000 annually, was awarded to American Traffic Solutions, Inc.
By George Bromley
March 24, 2009
My issue with the legislation is that the General Assembly took great pains to hobble the enforcement by requiring a half second grace, meaning that car traveling at 45 mph would have to be more than 33′ past the limit line before a citation could be issued. I believe the prior system did not have this half second limit, so the 19,000 violations does not tell us what the new system would do. Worse, a traffic study was done indicating if I recall correctly 12,000 violations, but the study did not capture any data on the half second issue, meaning that we really do not know what the revenue is likely to be resulting from the program, but we are agreeing to pay a fixed cost for the contract. I hope there are more effective ways to extract revenue from passing cars; perhaps if this does work we can use the money to convince people to slow down and spend money here. I look forward to the data generated by this system.
If you don’t like these cameras you should check out http://www.gpsangel.com
I can’t believe we have to purchase a new system when the old system is sitting on the poles right now. Why can’t we use the old system? Sounds like this wasn’t thought out completely.
If the cameras installed at the intersection of S. Virginia and Broad are operational, one would think the City has already made small fortune. In most instances, being a good deal more than half way to Broad on S. Virginia, the light turns green. As one barely hits Broad, BOOM, it’s yellow. Hit the brake! Even a walker had better be in tip top shape. Most times the light changes as one is halfway across Broad.
Well, at least Dan is being more honest than others about the true purpose of the cameras: revenue not safety.
Once again Falls Church City is trying to prove just how hostile it can be to non-residents. Falls Church City: if you don’t live here, don’t come here.
An old article, but still relevant. To increase safety simply ‘increase the yellow light interval’ to allow for decision time, stopping distance and safe application of breaking. Instead we are told it is about safety when in reality it has everything to do with revenue. A 2005 Virginia Department of Transportation study of the long-term effect of camera enforcement in the state found a decrease in the number of right-angle crashes, but an increase in rear-end crashes and an overall increase in the number of accidents causing injuries. In other words, the accident rate did not decrease. So, to avoid a ticket either slam on the brakes and increase risk of an accident, or as many drivers decide in this situation slightly accelerate to clear the intersection and avoid an accident (and the ticket). Doesn’t work, the red light camera system is actively recording everything, speed, signal light timing, your placement in the intersection, and although you avoided the accident you got the ticket. The sad part is the camera system manufacturers and local jurisdictions ‘bank on just that’. Again, studies continue to show that a slight increase in yellow light interval reduces traffic violations by 94 percent and substantially reduces accidents (oh, and it substantially reduces revenue to the city coffers).
FCT, I am wondering if a query to city hall might answer the yellow light duration question – are the yellow lights being lengthened to prevent slamming of brakes?