Red Light Camera Demise

The traffic camera at Broadway and El Camino is doing it's job a little too well.  Many B'gamers know it's there and that the ticket is $446 a pop.  So the City is losing money on its $5,870 per month fixed-fee contract with Redflex of Phoenix, AZ.  The San Mateo County Times rework of the staff report that will be presented and voted on tomorrow night notes

(Traffic Sgt. Don) Shepley said although the Broadway and El Camino Real intersection proved not to be the right spot for a red-light camera, the police may at some point consider putting up the traffic device somewhere else.

Redflex is willing to renegotiate the contract, but the City isn't interested at this time.  The unmentioned downside to this decision is that I have heard the photos have been useful for investigating accidents in the intersection as well.  That benefit is not in the hard numbers, but I do know there are lots of people in town who don't like the camera and won't miss it regardless of benefits.

Comments

[Roly Poly]

Red light cameras increase traffic accidents. A money grab by our politicians at the expense of our safety. Never mind the fact they increase traffic on residential side streets.

http://m.pbpost.com/pbpost/pm_11247/contentdetail.htm;jsessionid=8D59567CE10781CD20BD71D13EBC4126?contentguid=YUf9ESZ4

So we end up paying ooutrageous fines to feed some clowns that put out this dangerous product? Shame on you city council.

[alittlebird]

And this is the way we roll in Burlingame????? Another reason why we need council members with some know how!

[Jeff]

I'd say the Council members have know how! They tried the red light camera, saw that it didn't work at the particular intersection and got rid of it. We need Council people that are willing to try new approaches and are equally able to admit when things don't go as planned.

[Hillsider]

The Palm Beach Post article is a classic case of lies, damn lies and statistics. It's useless. A couple of weeks of accident statistics at one random intersection somewhere in the country. How stupid.

[The Green Lantern]

More data for you, Hillsider:

http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/west/2010/01/07/106454.htm

http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/18/1844.asp

http://blog.motorists.org/red-light-cameras-increase-accidents-5-studies-that-prove-it/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/03/AR2005100301844.html

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/mar/12/na-red-light-cameras-increase-accidents-usf-study-/

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/rear-end-collisions-jump-at-red-light-camera-706186.html

http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_15073972?nclick_check=1

[Roly Poly]

Jeff, sometimes true, but I don't agree in this case.

Is there an accident problem at the intersection? More than likely, most accidents are getting rammed from behind when waiting to turn left while going south. Would the camera help?

There has been quite alot of evidence that these cameras increase accidents. Green Lantern nicely points out many links that are useful. Lies? No.

In addition, the fines are wildly excessive. Visitors who are victims of this will be pissed off and avoid our shopping districts. Council was interested in revenue, not safety, and certainly not serving our community. They need to cut back excessive wages and pensions the town is on the hook for.

This wasn't trying something new. Something new would be rolling back spending on salaries.

[Joe]

From today's Daily Journal

Countywide standards should be implemented in regard to red-light cameras and the administrative tasks of evaluating tickets should be centralized, according to a report by the San Mateo Civil Grand Jury released yesterday.

Cities that consider installing the cameras should also monitor the number of collisions at an intersection before installing them and should not install them to generate revenue, according to the report.

The recommendation comes on the heels of a bill that passed out of the state Senate June 1 calling for statewide standards for the installation and operation of red-light cameras.

The full article is at http://www.smdailyjournal.com/article_preview.php?type=lnews&title=Report:%20Standards%20needed%20for%20red-light%20cameras&id=133158

[Holyroller]

How in the world can you compare traffic cameras with wages/ benefits paid to civil servants?
Did anyone read the Post today?
I did not count,but there must be 10,000 public employees in Palo Alto.
Two thirds of those employees are in one way or another connected to "Public Saftey"
Again with the Police and Fire!
It is not the garbageman, park maintenance janitor, or sewer workers that are bleeding us.
It is the Policemen and Fire Dept.
A Policeman or Fireman can retire at 50 years old at 85-95% of their "last highest year," with full medical benifits.
WE must be stupid.

[Elizabeth]

Never thought I'd agree with you Holyroller, but in this case, I do! It's amazing to me that our State, Counties and Cities don't wake up and do something about that. I don't see the Burlingame Fire or Police doing that much that would stress them out so much that they have to retire at 50! That should be pushed out to 60 and overtime hours, vacation pay etc., should NOT be added on top of their wages to make it even MORE money that we are paying them in retirement. It's a total Joke and the Police and Fire are laughing all the way to retirement!

[BlankenshipJewell18]

The personal loans seem to be important for people, which want to start their organization. In fact, that's easy to get a collateral loan.

[holyroller @hotwire.com]

I could not have said it better than that!
It seems weird that spam/jokes still get posted.
I am not complaining;observing.