WENATCHEE - As a result of a recent ruling Wenachee is looking to add traffic cameras

 

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2010/mar/04/city-will-giv...

City will give traffic cameras another look.Post a commentPrint By Christine Pratt
World staff writer

Thursday, March 4, 2010

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Red Light Camera Ruling

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WENATCHEE — Watch the birdie — and keep your eye on traffic signals — because red-light traffic cameras are again up for City Council debate.

Wenatchee Police Chief Tom Robbins said he’ll propose at the March 11 City Council meeting that councilmembers move ahead with a mothballed plan to install the cameras at three busy city intersections to catch red-light runners.

The new push for the cameras comes after the a U.S. District Court judge dismissed Tuesday a class-action lawsuit that claimed cameras are illegal and that the fines issued for running red lights are excessive.

The suit was filed in June by a large group of vehicle owners whose vehicles had been photographed violating red lights or school speed zones.

They sued 18 cities that have put the cameras into use and the two companies that provide the camera service, American Traffic Solutions and Redflex Traffic Systems, both of Phoenix.

A Seattle attorney for the vehicle owners said Tuesday that their clients are considering an appeal.

Around the time of the suit, the Wenatchee City Council had already decided to install cameras locally.

City officials were preparing to have the system operational here by Sept. 1.

The city was initially named in the class-action suit, but it was later withdrawn because the cameras weren’t yet installed, Robbins said.

Councilmembers decided to postpone installation until the class-action lawsuit was resolved.

In his Tuesday ruling, Judge John C. Coughenur denied the plaintiffs’ claims that:

• Camera fines of $101 to $124 are illegal, because state law requires these fines to be limited to the size of a typical parking ticket – about $20.

The judge said the amount of the citation could run the gamut of all parking violations, including illegal parking in a fire or disabled zone, which carry fines of $175 to $250.

• Municipalities may not use revenue from the cameras to pay service provider back for the camera service and its maintenance.

The judge said the law allows this type of pay-back system, because, based on the provisions of the contracts with the service providers, it amounts to a “lay away” plan that doesn’t increase the price of the service.

With the lawsuit out of the way, at least for now, Robbins said he’ll resume talks with the camera supplier, if the City Council decides to move forward.

“I think it’s a really good way to reduce red-light running and make our streets safer,” Robbins said Wednesday.

The Wenatchee cameras would be installed at three intersections:

• Southbound on Chelan Avenue at Orondo Avenue.

• Southbound on Chelan Avenue at Fifth Street.

• Northbound on Mission Street at Kittitas Street.

The cameras monitor the intersections and snap photographs of vehicles that run red lights.

The vehicles’ registered owners get a traffic fine by mail.

With City Council approval, Robbins said the cameras could be operating in Wenatchee sometime next month.

City Attorney Steve Smith said that under the plan, the city doesn’t buy the equipment, but pays a monthly fee to use the equipment and service.

Robbins said the fee would be approximately $4,500 per camera per month.

Pay to the service providers comes from the revenue generated by the citations.

Christine Pratt: 665-1173

pratt@wenatcheeworld.com

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Appeal

GN2 wrote:

...after the a U.S. District Court judge dismissed Tuesday a class-action lawsuit that claimed cameras are illegal and that the fines issued for running red lights are excessive.

The suit was filed in June by a large group of vehicle owners whose vehicles had been photographed violating red lights or school speed zones.

They sued 18 cities that have put the cameras into use and the two companies that provide the camera service, American Traffic Solutions and Redflex Traffic Systems, both of Phoenix.

A Seattle attorney for the vehicle owners said Tuesday that their clients are considering an appeal.

Appears the ruling could be overturned on appeal. I recall that there was also either another suit or injunction in Seattle which concerned red light cameras installed at intersections where more than two streets crossed. The traffic design lends itself to the assessment of erronous red light violations. But I think this design flaw only affects a small subset of the majority of cameras locations in the state.

So, if it's Wenatchee now, when will the cameras arrive in smaller cities like Yakima and Leavenworth?

I do recall hearing that one of the problems with that part of the eastside is that more than occasionally people without driver's licenses will commit hit and run violations. These people then disappear because they may have never been documented in the first place. Can anyone verify this?

Why?

So why do these cities feel the need to install cameras? Could it actually be for safety reasons, or is it just an alternative to raising the local property tax? Does the majority of local folks there want the cameras? Do they feel there's a safety problem, or just don't want their taxes to rise? Who are complaining about cameras, local folks or commuters? Sounds like some of the drivers there are driving illegally.Maybe more patrols are in order.

Were we to get cameras here, I'd certainly want to find the answers to these questions, then decide whether to fight or not.

I would think that $100+ fines should have a significant impact on red light runners.

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