Arizona ends 2 year ticket camera experiment.
  16 years
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Arizona to eliminate speed-enforcement cameras on freeways
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/05/06/20100506ar...
Arizona's controversial experiment with speed-enforcement cameras on state freeways will come to an end this summer, when the Department of Public Safety allows the program to expire.
The DPS sent a letter to camera operator Redflex Traffic Systems this week, informing officials that their contract will not be renewed.
The 78 fixed and mobile photo-enforcement units around the state will be turned off after July 15. Decisions on when and how the cameras will be removed have not yet been made, Redflex officials said.
City photo-enforcement contracts, which deal with speed and red-light cameras, are not affected by the move.
The program incited vandalism against traffic cameras and even violence since its inception two years ago.
Vandals took Silly String, sticky notes and pickaxes to cameras after they were installed.
Last year, Thomas Patrick Destories was charged with first-degree murder in the shooting of Redflex technician Doug Georgianni as he sat inside a DPS-owned photo-enforcement vehicle. Destories has pleaded not guilty.
Advocates of the cameras, including some DPS officials, have released studies indicating that the cameras save lives and reduce crashes.
Those studies have been vigorously disputed by camera opponents, who argue that the cameras increase collisions while infringing upon constitutional rights.
In its letter to Redflex, the DPS said that ending the contract represents "a change in the agency's focus," said Shoba Vaitheeswaran, a Redflex spokeswoman. The DPS on Wednesday did not respond to a request for the letter, nor would it comment on the issue."We're undoubtedly disappointed in the decision," Vaitheeswaran said.
She cited a DPS study from October that said the cameras resulted in a 19.2 percent drop in fatal collisions, saving 24 lives. The same study said the cameras allowed DPS officers to make more traffic stops and arrest more criminals.
The DPS has scheduled a complete audit of the system's impact on safety and driving behavior to be completed in the fall. Photo-enforcement supporters had hoped the review would be complete before state officials made any decision about the system.
Opponents of photo enforcement cheered the decision.
"We're happy that DPS will no longer be violating Arizona citizens' constitutional rights," said Shawn Dow, chairman of a November ballot initiative to ban the use of photo enforcement statewide.
Financial motives
Controversy has swirled around photo enforcement on state roads ever since then-Gov. Janet Napolitano included it in the 2009 state budget.
Napolitano envisioned a system of up to 100 cameras that would generate $90 million in revenue a year. She said the program was designed to improve traffic safety, not make money.
But the idea of the cameras as moneymakers drew strong criticism, and they did not meet revenue projections.
The cameras snapped more than 2 million times in an 18-month span from September 2008 through the end of March and issued more than 1.2 million citations.
But only about 30 percent of the citations were paid, generating about $63.5 million in revenue, which went into a fund the Legislature controlled.
Among those who criticized the financial motives of the system was Gov. Jan Brewer, then-secretary of state.
"She did not support the state photo-radar system because it appeared from the beginning to be designed exclusively as a revenue generator," Paul Senseman, a Brewer spokesman, said in an e-mail.
At one point, Brewer had leaned toward letting voters decide whether to keep the cameras.
But after Brewer became governor last year, she appointed a new DPS director, Robert Halliday, who said photo enforcement's reputation was damaged from the start after Napolitano publicly touted the program as a revenue generator.
Halliday also wanted an independent analysis of the program's safety benefits, which he thought were overstated.
Legislative opposition
Even before Brewer appointed Halliday, the program had been the subject of numerous attacks from conservatives in the Legislature.
In the session that ended last week, lawmakers sent Brewer a bill that would ban photo enforcement within 600 feet of a posted speed-limit change, with the exception of a school crossing. It also would prevent a traffic complaint from being filed in court unless a person was personally served with that complaint.
Given the DPS' move this week, the bill would be moot on state freeways. But it would still affect programs run by cities.
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, also would ban people from applying any covering or substance to their license plate that makes the plate illegible.
Brewer has until Tuesday to sign or veto the bill or do nothing and allow it to become law without her signature. The measure, if it became law, would go into effect July 29.
Meanwhile, opponents of cameras are still gathering signatures for a ballot initiative that would ban the cameras statewide. The signatures will be filed July 1, said Dow, the campaign chairman. "The cameras are coming down," he said.
Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/05/06/20100506ar...
It's safe to visit Arizona after July 15th.
It's safe to visit Arizona after July 15th.
Great news
This is great news. The Phoenix highways have been filled with an obscene amount of brake lights as the speeders slow down at every camera. Now if we can only do something about the slow people in the left lanes and the speeders weaving in and out.....
Nuvi 2597 / Nuvi 2595 / Nuvi 680 / Nuvi 650 "Good judgment comes from experience and experience comes from bad judgment."
Hallelujah!
1 down, 49 more to go . . .
Cameras
I hope the rest of the states follow suit!!
D.H.
Already covered
http://www.poi-factory.com/node/29008
Jeff...... Nuvi 2460, Nuvi 2595
I hope they continue to get
I hope they continue to get the camera measure on the November ballot so that the rest of the cameras can be taken out.
OK.....so where the heck am I?
November ballot.
I hope they continue to get the camera measure on the November ballot so that the rest of the cameras can be taken out.
The posted article said it would be on the November ballot, I think. I hope it is.
The initiative.
http://arizonacitizensagainstphotoradar.com/
Mobile units
We'll still have to watch out for those mobile speed enforcement units that popup once in a while, right?
Hip Hip Hooray
For the people of Arizona and the tourists that travel through it. That's two great decisions at state level in a week. Now it's up to the people to get a vote on the November ballot for complete removal.
Good luck to all Arizonians on this !
Using Android Based GPS.The above post and my sig reflects my own opinions, expressed for the purpose of informing or inspiring, not commanding. Naturally, you are free to reject or embrace whatever you read.
Nope
We'll still have to watch out for those mobile speed enforcement units that popup once in a while, right?
As mentioned, they're gone also...
"The 78 fixed and mobile photo-enforcement units around the state will be turned off after July 15"
Jeff...... Nuvi 2460, Nuvi 2595
Down With All Cameras Used To Make Money
I think they are still dangerous and should be abolished.
Alan-Garmin c340
Cameras
I don't see why everyone is against red light cameras since your GPS tells you when they are coming up and someone else is contributing to the tax revenue. Here in Texas some are being removed because they are not providing enough revenue to justify the cost.
yes
We'll still have to watch out for those mobile speed enforcement units that popup once in a while, right?
Not on the freeway. In the city roads, yes.
http://www.poi-factory.com/node/21626 - red light cameras do not work
Perfect Timing
Of course, just as I move (out of Arizona), they decide to take down all the cameras. Oh, well. Now I live in a state with only a couple red-light cameras in a city I'll almost never visit.
Glad to hear it, cities should follow
I am glad to hear that the cameras are being removed from state highways. They should also be removed from cities as well (both red light and speed cameras). Hopefully, the referendum will make it to the ballot and pass to remove those too.
shocker
Politicians coming to their senses and listening to the people they represent? What a novel idea! If only the rest of 'em would follow suit.
Cameras & Guns
Now that the speed cameras are going to be removed all I have to worry about when I visit Arizona again are the people that walk around with firearms in their holsters.
Maybe some of them were taking target practice at the speed cameras, along with the silly putty.
JeffSh
We don't need no stink'n holsters
Now that the speed cameras are going to be removed all I have to worry about when I visit Arizona again are the people that walk around with firearms in their holsters.
In Arizona we can carry concealed.
Mark
Oh
That makes me feel SO much better.
Not.
Firearms are FAR safer than automobiles - always have been.
Now that the speed cameras are going to be removed all I have to worry about when I visit Arizona again are the people that walk around with firearms in their holsters.
It makes so much more sense to fear the idiots driving near you....
You would be much better served by Arizona KEEPING the cameras then. There are 100% more fatalities each year resulting from the use of automobiles compared to all types of firearms related deaths (accident, self defense, murder, etc.). There aren't any adequately educated Americans that fear firearms to my knowledge.
It is never an intelligent act to fear any tool.
Anyone living in fear of a tool needs to gain a better understanding of that tool.
I would just recommend that all persons not understanding the nature of unalienable rights not go to Arizona (or Vermont for that matter) at all.
I'm quite happy about not having the extra cameras to worry about next time I visit the Ben Avery Shooting Facility this October.
The crux of the biscuit is the apostrophe(')
Depends
Firearms are FAR safer than automobiles - always have been.
I am certain that the people in many countries would dispute (think Iraq, Darfur, etc.) that blanket statement about Guns being FAR safer than Automobiles.
Airplanes are safer than automobiles too. That fact would not make the families of the 9/11 incident feel any better about the cause of their loved one's death.
Be that as it may, that does not make guns safe.
I never implied that PEOPLE are safe....
...but inert objects ARE inherently safe and always will be. Practically everything you can see (and some things you can't see) can be used as a tool to kill someone or something. Example: Why are schoolchildren often still required to bring deadly weapons to school? (If you "dot the eye" of a person with a 9" sharpened pencil and scribble on the inside rear of their skull, what are the odds they'll still be alive an hour later?)
The human animal is a tool user and can find some way to kill with practically ANY TOOL that is available, so demonizing any inert objects (i.e. firearms/cars/knives are 'evil') is a pointless waste of time when [or/if] intelligence is applied.
The crux of the biscuit is the apostrophe(')
Speed cameras now officially turned off on AZ freeways
The cameras on freeways are now turned off, and they are putting cloth hoods over them. They are going to be taken down after Labor Day, according to the TV news here. While I didn't like them, they did make people slow down, and if you knew how people drive here you would understand. It's still the wild west out here with people driving crazy. Anyway, the cameras on city streets are still working, so you still need to look out for them there.
Make these cameras as an expense - They will get cut.
I hope the rest of the states follow suit!!
As long as we make these cameras as an expense, they will get cut.
Hm
It has always been safe to come to Az.
><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><-><- 4-Garmin Nuvi 760>>>> Owner: Sunrise Mechanical A/C & Heating,, Peoria, Arizona
This is very good.
Time to start petitioning folks.
G.
good news
I drive around Washington DC everyday and they are absolutely insane about catching drivers or making them pay. They raised their parking meters from 15 minutes for a quarter to 5o cents about a year ago, and they recently doubled speed camera fines from &75 to $150 (for 11 miles over)among others. Nice to double your profit margin on a product-huh!
And all this to offset a budget shortfall which it will not even make a dent in. And the areas with the stationary speed cameras are not the upscale neighborhoods either. So it's the little guy who pays.
woohoo! heading to Arizona
woohoo! heading to Arizona in a couple of weeks
Being installed
The four new red light/speed cameras in Tucson are in the process of being installed now. While the state cameras on the interstates are now turned off, the local cameras are still active. Keep your POI file up to date!
Drivesmart 66, Nuvi 2595LMT (Died), Nuvi 1490T (Died), Nuvi 260 (Died), GPSMAP 195
It was kind of strange
It was kind of strange driving by the cameras and not worrying about them...
In a way I'll miss the cameras since it was so easy to avoid them...
http://www.poi-factory.com/node/21626 - red light cameras do not work
Correction!
1 down, 49 more to go . . .
Idaho has no cameras.
Speed or red light. None, nada.
If you ain't got pictures, I wasn't there.
Correction!
Now that the speed cameras are going to be removed all I have to worry about when I visit Arizona again are the people that walk around with firearms in their holsters.
Maybe some of them were taking target practice at the speed cameras, along with the silly putty.
JeffSh
You don't have to worry about people that carry guns.
You just have to worry about being in a place that prohibits guns. That's where the attacks take place.
If you ain't got pictures, I wasn't there.
Don't you think the cameras
Don't you think the cameras will return when funding is available?
nice...
AHHHH HHaaaa. sometimes its more cost efficient to use man power then computers.
Firearms
Well Arizona is only one of many states that allow residents to carry firearms. The only thing I don't like about it is that in some of these states you don't even have to take a course on firearm safety. I have taken this course and have a CCW Concealed Carry Permit. I think it's a good thing to have some education before letting anyone carry a weapon. As for a worry about Arizona don't go there if it's going to bother you.
Legs
I've been to two CCW
I've been to two CCW classes. In each one of the classes there were several people who have no business owning a gun, CCW class or not. Common sense has a lot to do with safely handling a gun and knowing how to use it...you can't train common sense in some people.
OK.....so where the heck am I?
I was in AZ...over 10 years
I was in AZ...over 10 years ago...
Brought my guns. (A kind way of saying I 'smuggled' them out of the peoples republic of IL).
When I went to buy ammo..I took out my FOID and driver's license and was trying to present them.
The guy just laughed and asked what I needed.
Shortly there after I was walking out with a grocery bag full of goodies.
As far as the cams?
It just seems that lately AZ is doing more and more to impress me.
Nuvi 350 Born Oct 07 - Nuvi 660 Unit #2 (re)Born Sept 08 - Nuvi 360(Gift to 'the chick' yet maintained by myself) Born July 08
Back to the cameras....
Don't you think the cameras will return when funding is available?
Word is that the AZ Dept of Public Safety let the contract expire with Redflex because they want to run the program themselves. That way they get to keep all the money. Who knows what will happen. It does reduce the amount of stress when driving on the freeways here because you don't have to be vigilant about cameras coming up. They said they are going to leave the cameras up and collect data about traffic speeds to see if there is a great change, although the cameras won't be snapping photos.
They are gone
Don't you think the cameras will return when funding is available?
Word is that the AZ Dept of Public Safety let the contract expire with Redflex because they want to run the program themselves. That way they get to keep all the money. Who knows what will happen. It does reduce the amount of stress when driving on the freeways here because you don't have to be vigilant about cameras coming up. They said they are going to leave the cameras up and collect data about traffic speeds to see if there is a great change, although the cameras won't be snapping photos.
The cameras reportedly have bags over them now, and are being ripped out.
The AZDPS doesn't have the ability to operate those cameras themselves. They would have to spend millions developing the software, for instance.
There was a ballot initiative circulating for the November ballot to do away with those cameras statewide.
So, we do know what will happen. If I'd have written the ballot initiative it would have set the fines for any photo enforcement system at $4 with all the money going to affordable houseing. No money to run the cameras for instance.
No bags
The cameras reportedly have bags over them now, and are being ripped out.
I drive I-10 everyday and the cameras do not have bags on them. Redflex owns the equipment and will take them down after they have 3 months worth of data to present back to the State to show how much speeds have increased without the cams being active. If the State doesn't reup their contract then, then Redflex is supposed to take them down.
Nuvi 2597 / Nuvi 2595 / Nuvi 680 / Nuvi 650 "Good judgment comes from experience and experience comes from bad judgment."
3 months until after the
3 months until after the November elections?
Political pressure.
The cameras reportedly have bags over them now, and are being ripped out.
I drive I-10 everyday and the cameras do not have bags on them. Redflex owns the equipment and will take them down after they have 3 months worth of data to present back to the State to show how much speeds have increased without the cams being active. If the State doesn't reup their contract then, then Redflex is supposed to take them down.
I was under the impression that political pressure was a big reason the camera contract wasn't renewed.
I doubt it will be politically possible to re-install speed cameras in the state. That's the goal, after all.
Where did you hear that the remaining cameras were still collecting data?
Cameras are operational - supposedly
[/quote]
Where did you hear that the remaining cameras were still collecting data? [/quote]
I saw it on AZCentral. Here's the link.
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/07/16/20100716ar...
The twelth paragraph says: "Redflex has until mid-November to remove its 78 fixed and mobile cameras from Arizona freeways. The company said it will leave the fixed cameras in place through Labor Day to gather data on speeding trends after the program's end."
Nuvi 2597 / Nuvi 2595 / Nuvi 680 / Nuvi 650 "Good judgment comes from experience and experience comes from bad judgment."
Is it?
Well it's safe as far as the DPS cameras but more local and county cameras are going up all the time. So be careful in these towns and cities. Pinal county doesn't use the cameras Sheriff Paul B. had them removed. Now Tucson (Pima County) is up to about 6 cameras and waiting on two more to be installed.
Legs
They should be gone.
Where did you hear that the remaining cameras were still collecting data?
I saw it on AZCentral. Here's the link.
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/07/16/20100716ar...
The twelth paragraph says: "Redflex has until mid-November to remove its 78 fixed and mobile cameras from Arizona freeways. The company said it will leave the fixed cameras in place through Labor Day to gather data on speeding trends after the program's end."
Unbelievable. They should have gotten those off our roadways. Are they paying rent?
Finally
I haven't been to AZ since last summer and don't miss it. Strobe flashes going off in your face at night certainly can't improve traffic safety. They also seemed to make the traffic flow more dangerous because everyone was going the same speed, making lanes changes much more difficult.
Just back
Had to take a trip up to Phoenix and Scottsdale this past week (from Tucson). Most of the cameras I had passed in the past, with my GPS alerting constantly, were gone and the GPS only announcing upcoming exits or turns. I also noticed that while there were still fast drivers, it seemed that overall, the average speed of the traffic was lower. Nothing definitive, just an impression.
Drivesmart 66, Nuvi 2595LMT (Died), Nuvi 1490T (Died), Nuvi 260 (Died), GPSMAP 195
Great
glad to hear the cameras are disappearing!
Camera "Removal" Starts This Week
Speed cameras will be physically removed starting today. Superstition Freeway (US 60) cams will be first.
Yaaayyyy!
Now I won't have to wonder if they were "really" turned off.
OK.....so where the heck am I?