City Council to Vote on Changes to Photo Red Funding

Spokane's City Council tonight will discuss Photo Red cameras and traffic calming projects. A portion of the money that comes in from tickets issued to people caught on camera running red lights goes to projects that make the streets safer, such as crosswalk lights, "bump outs' that extend the sidewalk into the street giving pedestrians a shorter distance to cross the street and other items. Tonight the council will vote on a resolution to include LED lighting, pruning of trees or bushes in the right of way, flashing School Zone signs and "street furniture" (that's what the notice said that I received- I'm thinking it refers to benches) as items the Photo Red funds could pay for. As always at Spokane City Council meetings, there is opportunity for members of the public to express their opinion so if you have input on this you'd like to share, feel free to attend the meeting at City Hall starting at 6 p.m.

Bill Proposes New Rules For Red Light Cameras In School Zones

According to the Spokesman-Review, cities like Spokane that are considering using traffic cameras to catch speeders in school zones would also have to put up warning signs and lights that flash when the cameras are in use, under a bill being considered by the Legislature.

Currently, cities that set up cameras to catch speeders in school zones must adopt an ordinance and mark the area at least 30 days before the camera is active.

Under HB 1087, they would also have to mark those areas with a sign saying “camera active when flashing” and a yellow light that flashes only when the camera is in use.

The House Transportation Committee will vote on whether to move the bill to the full House at a later date.

Class Action Lawsuit Filed Against Red Light Camera Fees

The City of Spokane may have to pay back red light ticket fees that were ruled invalid by a judge, after a class action lawsuit was filed. Northwest Cable News has the story here or you can watch the video below.

Council Makes Changes to Photo Red Regulations

The Spokane City Council last night passed a couple changes to the Photo Red regulations, according to Councilmember Jon Snyder's blog.

The first changes allows a Spokane Police Traffic Enforcement officer to be paid from funds raised by the red light cameras.  Provisions were also removed that used Photo Red funds for graffiti abatement and C.O.P.S. shops. Instead, an emergency budget ordinance was passed to increase C.O.P.S. fund from unappropriated reserves for 2014, with a promise to look at more sustainable future funding.

The Council also approved a resolution requesting the administration bring to the council for consideration a pilot project for using traffic enforcement cameras in a school zone.

Red Light Money Left Alone

Money from red-light camera tickets still must be used only on traffic safety projects. Spokane City Councilmembers made the decision last night to reject a proposal that would have removed restrictions on how red-light revenue is spent.

The decision means the city is out of compliance with the law though, after the council last year approved spending $20,000 of camera revenues on graffiti and $50,000 on the volunteer policing program.

The Spokesman-Review tells us how this discrenspancy will be handled.

Spokane City Council to Debate Changing Red-Light Camera Law

The Spokane City Council is debating whether to change the law to allow them to spend red-light camera fines on projects unrelated to traffic safety.

The council already approved a new funding breakdown of red-light camera money for 2014, but the city never changed the law that requires them to spend revenues beyond the cost to maintain the cameras only on traffic safety projects.

The Spokesman-Review has the details.

New Stats Say Red Light Cameras Make Spokane Streets Safer

It's been a topic of debate since red light cameras were installed in Spokane; do they actually make streets safer? New statistics say yes.

Numbers show that collisions are reduced at the intersections where the cameras are installed and within the city as a whole, according to collision data maintained by the Washington State Patrol.

At the same time though, crashes have declined across the state and in many jurisdictions without red light cameras, so is the improved safety really the work of the cameras? The Spokesman-Review takes a closer look.

Council Extends Red Light Camera Program

Spokane's controversial red light cameras will be around for a while. After five years in use in the City of Spokane, the City Council Monday night voted to extend the program for another five years.

The cameras are set up at major intersections throughout the city and take a picture of anyone who runs a red light. Since the program began five years ago, nearly 50,000 citations have been issued with a net revenue of nearly $2 million dollars, according to the Spokane Police Department. A ticket from one of the cameras will run you $124.

Letter Suggests Adding a Warning Phase to Green and Yellow Lights

Spokesman-Review Letter to the Editor
Reprogram Traffic Signals

This week there was an Internet blog item about intersection accidents caused by yellow light decisions. The article seemed to paint the decision whether to stomp on the throttle or jam on the brakes when faced with a yellow light as some kind of insurmountable problem. I don’t think so.
I may be wrong but there is no doubt in my mind that virtually all modern traffic lights are processor controlled and operate under a specific program. That being said, I think that there is a simple solution. Reprogram the lights such that the green light blinks for three seconds at half-second intervals before turning yellow and the same for the yellow light before turning red.
This will give oncoming drivers time to make a rational decision as how to proceed when approaching a traffic light. There is no doubt in my mind that drivers would adapt to this quickly and many accidents, deaths and injuries would be avoided.

It would be nice if Spokane could lead the nation in addressing this problem. However, please don’t count on the traffic ticket revenuers to support this. I’d like to see some feedback on this concept.

Frank Tokarz
Spokane Valley

What bothers me about this letter is that the yellow is supposed to be the warning that the light is about to turn red, meaning stop. Do you really need to add a blinking warning light to the existing warning. If people just stopped on yellow instead of trying to make it through it wouldn't be a problem.

 

Council Connection Talks Red Light Cameras and Transportation Improvement District

If you missed last week's live episode of Council Connection, you can still catch it online at the preceding link.

The show highligthts a variety of City topics every month and is hosted by a different City Council member each month. October's show was hosted by Council Member Jon Snyder and the second half of the hour is devoted to “Your Tax Dollars at Work: Photo Red Traffic Calming Program and the Transportation Benefit District” with guest Kitty Klitzke, Eastern Washington Program Director for Futurewise.

For followers of this blog, you may recognize Kitty as a member of SRTC's Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC). She's been a great influence on the TAC and we appreciate the time she puts in to educate herself and the public when it comes to education.

Spokane City Traffic Calming Projects Announced

The City of Spokane yesterday announced a list of traffic-calming projects that will be paid for from proceeds from red light camera infractions. Twenty-one projects have been selected for construction, out of 74 applications, totaling around $485,000. The projects are scheduled to be built in 2013.
This past spring, neighborhoods were asked to identify and submit applications for projects intended to encourage drivers to adhere to speed limits to improve safety for pedestrian and bicyclists and improve the walking environment.
A traffic-calming subcommittee, made up of a Council member from each Council District, selected the final projects. City Council will approve the final list and budget.
The traffic-calming project list for 2013, broken down by District, includes:

District 1: Purchase of two small mobile speed feedback signs that will be placed in various areas throughout District 1.

• Chief Garry Park Neighborhood: Installation of a crosswalk at Regal St. and Mission Ave.; and Cook St. and Mission Ave. crossing to Chief Garry Park.

• East Central Neighborhood: Implementation of University District/Sprague Corridor Study traffic calming elements on E. Sprague Ave.

• Bemiss Neighborhood: Permanent speed sign on Cook St. near Shaw Middle School and Northeast Community Center.

• Nevada-Lidgerwood Neighborhood: Install a traffic circle at Lyons Ave. and Cincinnati St.

• Logan Neighborhood: Conduct traffic study on E. Sinto Ave. in conjunction with Gonzaga University.

District 2:

• East Central Neighborhood: Permanent speed feedback sign on Perry St. near its intersection with 12th Ave.

• Cliff/Cannon Neighborhood: Curb bump-outs on Maple St. at Eighth and Ninth avenues.

• Manito/Cannon Hill Neighborhood: Crosswalk striping and signage at 25th Ave. and Bernard St.

• Rockwood Neighborhood: Install solar pedestrian beacons at 18th Ave. and Grand Blvd.

• Comstock Neighborhood: Install sidewalks from 210 to 226 W. 37th Ave.

• Lincoln Heights: Install sidewalks on both sides of Freya St. from 36th to 37th avenues.

• Joint Manito/Cannon Hill and Comstock Neighborhoods: Install pedestrian crossing at Manito Blvd. and 29th Ave., type to be determined from neighborhood input.
District 3:

• Five Mile Neighborhood: Connect separated sidewalks on Horizon Ave. from west of F St. to E St. Install crosswalk and signage at Cascade Way/Lincoln Rd. and Five Mile Rd.

• Emerson Garfield Neighborhood: Traffic circles on Montgomery Ave. at Cedar, Jefferson, and Madison streets; and two bump-outs on Montgomery Ave. with its intersection with Adams St. Additionally, sidewalks will be installed on Adams St. from Mansfield to Montgomery avenues.

• North Hill Neighborhood: Install crosswalk at Garland Ave. and Normandie St.

• West Central Neighborhood: Install crosswalk with flashing beacon at Elm St. and Maxwell Ave.

Cameras Installed to Watch Speed Cameras. What?

I know there are a lot of people out there who hate red light and speed cameras, but this is taking it to the extreme. Police in Palmer Park, MD are installing cameras to watch other cameras. Yes, you read that right. After several speed monitoring cameras were either destroyed or vandalized in the area, cameras are now being installed to try to catch the culprits, by training them on the speed cameras. Yikes, where will it end?
Here's the story from WTOP Radio.

Construction Starts Tomorrow On Red Light Camera-Funded Project

The intersection of 17th Ave. and Mt. Vernon St. will be closed for one week beginning tomorrow, Aug. 16, through Thursday, Aug. 23. Crews will be completing sidewalk improvements including, signage, striping, ADA curb ramps, and catch basin work. Drivers will be detoured to Regal and Cook streets.

The $101,467 project is being funded by the Red Light Camera Program.

Local Red Light Camera Catches Crazy Hit & Run Collision

Holy cow, you should see this video! Spokane Police posted the video below to YouTube in an effort to find a “good samaritan” who attempted to stop a hit and run driver after a July 1, 2012 collision at 3rd Avenue and Freya.


Just before 5am that morning, red light cameras picked up the footage below.  The two occupants in the car that was hit were seriously injured. After seeing the video, I feel they're lucky to be alive! This is like a movie scene crash.

Apparently, after the video ends, the suspect car leaves the scene and the man you see running into the area tries to chase it. Police are looking for that man to interview and have not been able to locate him. Anyone with any information is asked to call Crime Check at 456-2233.

Red Light Camera Dollars Approved For Safety Projects

The Spokane City Council voted unanimously last night to approve a contract to construct neighborhood traffic calming projects funded by money collected through the City’s Red Light Camera program. Eight traffic calming projects in eight neighborhoods will be constructed later this year for $285,000.

 In 2010, neighborhoods were asked to submit recommendations for locations that they identified as potentially dangerous due to high-volume or high-speed traffic. The neighborhoods were also asked to identify potential solutions for traffic calming. Since those applications were received, they have been approved by Council and designed by the City’s Engineering Services Department.

The fully designed projects were sent out to bid early this year, with the final contract approval by the City Council Monday. The projects include:

• Logan neighborhood - bike and parking lanes on Illinois.
• Minnehaha neighborhood - sidewalks on Myrtle.
• Cliff/Cannon neighborhood - sidewalk bumpouts on Maple/Ash between 8th and 9th avenues.
• East Central neighborhood - curve sequence lights on Thor and Hartson.
• Lincoln Heights neighborhood - sidewalk bumpouts at 17th and Mt. Vernon.
• Emerson Garfield neighborhood - sidewalks on Post.
• Five Mile neighborhood - sidewalks on Five Mile Rd.
• North Hill neighborhood - sidewalks on Courtland.

The City’s Red Light Camera program was launched in November 2008. Currently, there are 15 cameras monitoring 10 intersections throughout the City. One camera can cover up to four lanes of travel in one direction.

Spokane City Councilmember Snyder Talks Photo Red On Local TV Show

Spokane City Councilmember Jon Snyder talks with TV show 'Comcast Newsmakers' about the Photo Red Program and what the money raised for red light running tickets goes to. Some of this video is amazing too! Holy cow, some of these red light runners are blatant!

Lacey, WA Says Red Light Cameras Are Working To Promote Safety

Warm up your typing fingers because this thread is about red light cameras, and that topic always gets a lot of reaction. Law enforcement and others say that the red light cameras we have in the City of Spokane help to promote safety by discouraging people from driving through intersections on red lights.

Opponents of red light cameras say that's just a line though- that the cameras are really to bring in revenue. Well, the City Manager for Lacey, WA says the lights really are promoting safety. Lacey expects to collect $100,000 less from its red-light cameras next year because fewer drivers have been cited for running lights at a particularly busy intersection over the past three years.

In fact, the number of citations has decreased by two-thirds since 2009. City Manager Scott Spence says those numbers, coupled with a decrease in collisions, show the cameras are working.

The Olympian has the story.

WSDOT Not Endorsing Red Light Cameras For Safety (But They're Also Not NOT Endorsing Them)

On my favorite subject (just because it always seems to spur conversation), the Washington State Department of Transportation says there simply isn't enough data at this point to say red light cameras increase safety.

The state has primary responsibility for traffic signals on state highways that run through cities with fewer than 25,000 people. Cities of that size need state approval to install enforcement cameras along highways. The Bellingham Herald has more.

Traffic Calming Project List Passed

Spokane's City Council last night passed a resolution that finalized the list of traffic calming projects for the 2011 construction season. These are projects to be funded through money raised from the Photo Red cameras.

I know a lot of people don't like the red light cameras because of the potential to use them as a fundraiser, but a couple of pluses in our case; the money raised currently goes for traffic calming AND some people say the traffic calming process is increasing public participation in government affairs. Here's what happened last night from City Councilman Jon Snyder's blog.

Red Light Camera Fight Heating Up

Tim Eyman says his red-light camera initiative is sweeping the state and uniting people on a transportation issue they can agree on. One state rep even says that Washington is a battle ground state on the issue, because if the red light camera companies lose Washington, there's a good chance they'll lose the rest of the country.

Here's the latest on the anti-red light camera movement from the Seattle Times.