Red light violations at the Auburn intersections with photo enforcement cameras dropped 28 percent in a comparison of the fourth quarter of 2008 with the fourth quarter of 2009, from 1,312 violations to 945.
At the same time, violations in camera-equipped school speed zones are up 96 percent, from 1,693 in 2009 to 3,327 in 2009, primarily because of the addition of the two school speed zones on Lea Hill at 124th and at 132nd last September, Police Chief Jim Kelly told the members of the Municipal Services Committee on Monday.
“Our collision data fluctuates up and down, but from the fatality perspective, in our intersections with red light photo enforcement there have been no fatalities at those intersections, and serious injuries have been reduced,” Kelly said.
Councilwoman Sue Singer asked Kelly whether collisions resulting from motorists slamming on their brakes at yellow lights have increased, a charge that is often made against the cameras.
“Our experience doesn’t support that perception,” Kelly said.
The City launched the program in June 2006, and overall since 2007, red light violations are down 52 percent.
Five red-light cameras are in operation in the city: one north and one southbound at 4th and Auburn Way South; one southbound at 8th and Harvey Road; one northbound on Auburn Way South at M Street; and one northbound on M Street at Auburn Way South.
School speed zone cameras are located in front of Chinook Elementary, Mt. Baker Middle School, Dick Scobee Elementary, Lea Hill Elementary and Arthur Jacobsen Elementary.
“We’re still looking at photo enforcement at the Union Pacific tracks, adding school zones and still analyzing intersections for red light photo enforcement,” Kelly said.
Not everybody approves.
In January, the Spokesman Review reported that studies of the first photo enforcement program in Spokane showed that accidents and injuries increased.
State Rep. Chris Hurst, D-Enumclaw, recently sponsored a bill that would cap fines at $25 and require that yellow lights at intersections equipped with the cameras last at least four seconds. That bill never made it out of committee so it is effectively dead for this legislative session.
Hurst was unavailable for comment this week, but he recently told the Kitsap Sun that a four-second requirement would be critical to ensure safer red light photo enforcement intersections.
Hurst is also concerned that the cameras turn a public safety issue into money makers for cities, which he believes corrupts the process.
The fine for stoplight and railroad crossing violation infractions in Auburn is $124 if paid within 15 days of the issuance of the infraction and $157 if it isn’t. The fine for school speed zone violation infractions is $200 if paid within 15 days or $250 if it isn’t.
At four-way intersections equipped with the cameras, the City of Auburn pays the vendor, Arizona-based Red Flex Traffic Systems, $4,900 per month for each direction the cameras watch, so $9,800 for the north-and-south facing cameras at 8th and Harvey. The cost of the program includes a judge pro-tem and a court clerk.
Mayor Pete Lewis explained what the City is doing with the net proceeds.
“The City Council said at the beginning that any net proceeds would go into local traffic calming methods, so for the first two years we went to public meetings and into neighborhoods, trying to figure out what that meant,” said Lewis. “And we built up over a couple years about $200,000. So we spent it, and we’re down to a net of about $47,000, and it’s all going to local traffic calming measures like speed bumps, radar guns and stop signs. That’s how we pay for those things. “
Assistant Police Chief Bob Karnofski said longer the cameras are up, the fewer the violations.
