Voters might get more say on red-light cameras
With rising public backlash over automated red-light traffic cameras, the state Legislature plans Tuesday to hear several proposed restrictions on cities that use them.
The Legislature may be forced to act if lawmakers want to avoid a statewide anti-camera measure. Last week, initiatives were filed in four cities that would require voter approval before traffic cameras are installed. The four cities include Bellingham, Monroe, Longview, and Wenatchee.
In Mukilteo, 71 percent of voters already approved a similar measure last fall that restricts the city's use of traffic cameras.
"I've never seen an issue where there is such passion. Even $30 car tabs didn't have this level of passion from the electorate," said anti-tax initiative guru Tim Eyman, who is helping lead the effort. "This became a monster. It became this massive, multi-million dollar moneymaking scheme for cities. There really has been no effort in Olympia to rein it in at all."
Red-light cameras remain controversial, despite refrains from traffic safety officials that they lead to fewer people running red lights and a decrease in the severity of collisions. About 20 cities in Washington, including Seattle, use cameras to catch red-light runners at busy intersections and school zones.
Even though polls have shown that drivers think cameras make them more cautious, many suspect that cities' real motive is profit, not public safety. That sentiment is fueled by news in other states where cities were caught shortening yellow lights to catch more violators.
With voters now wanting more say in their use, the state's House Transportation committee on Tuesday plans to hear three bills on traffic-enforcement cameras. Rep. Chris Hurst, (D-Enumclaw), is sponsoring two of them: HB 1098 and HB 1099.
HB 1098 would require cities seek voter approval before installing red-light cameras, and again for any future increases in the number of cameras installed. It also would address one of voters' biggest concerns by mandating yellow light intervals comply with the "Manual for Uniform Traffic Control Devices" issue by the Transportation Department, plus one second.
HB 1099 takes a slightly different approach on yellow lights. It would set the standard at the "85th percentile of free-flowing traffic and the kinematic formula published by the Institute of Traffic Engineers. It also would require a minimum grace period of one second between when the signal turns red and the time the infraction is recorded.
According to a 2004 study by the Texas Transportation Institute on the use of red-light cameras, extending yellow lights by one second not only reduced violations by 53 percent, but also dropped crash rates by 40 percent.
Hurst, the bills' sponsor, told The News Tribune in Tacoma: "If the Legislature does not act, there will be an initiative on the ballot."
The News Tribune also reported on HB 1279, a third measure introduced by freshman Democratic Rep. Connie Ladenburg, a former Tacoma City Council member.
From the story:
One worry is that cameras ensnare drivers who are turning right on red, and who inch forward into the turn instead of making the required complete stop. Ladenburg is still working on exactly what standards to propose, but the idea is to prevent ticketing of drivers as long as they slow down and don't endanger pedestrians.
The Tacoma-backed bill also would expand the locations where speed cameras could be placed to include streets along transit stations and heavily-used parks. It would restrict school-zone cameras to the beginning and end of the school day.
In Seattle, drivers whose license plates were caught on camera face a $124 fine through the mail, although the citation does not stick to their record.
http://blog.seattlepi.com/transportation/archives/237554.asp
Voters might get more say on red-light cameras
With rising public backlash over automated red-light traffic cameras, the state Legislature plans Tuesday to hear several proposed restrictions on cities that use them.
The Legislature may be forced to act if lawmakers want to avoid a statewide anti-camera measure. Last week, initiatives were filed in four cities that would require voter approval before traffic cameras are installed. The four cities include Bellingham, Monroe, Longview, and Wenatchee.
In Mukilteo, 71 percent of voters already approved a similar measure last fall that restricts the city's use of traffic cameras.
"I've never seen an issue where there is such passion. Even $30 car tabs didn't have this level of passion from the electorate," said anti-tax initiative guru Tim Eyman, who is helping lead the effort. "This became a monster. It became this massive, multi-million dollar moneymaking scheme for cities. There really has been no effort in Olympia to rein it in at all."
Red-light cameras remain controversial, despite refrains from traffic safety officials that they lead to fewer people running red lights and a decrease in the severity of collisions. About 20 cities in Washington, including Seattle, use cameras to catch red-light runners at busy intersections and school zones.
Even though polls have shown that drivers think cameras make them more cautious, many suspect that cities' real motive is profit, not public safety. That sentiment is fueled by news in other states where cities were caught shortening yellow lights to catch more violators.
With voters now wanting more say in their use, the state's House Transportation committee on Tuesday plans to hear three bills on traffic-enforcement cameras. Rep. Chris Hurst, (D-Enumclaw), is sponsoring two of them: HB 1098 and HB 1099.
HB 1098 would require cities seek voter approval before installing red-light cameras, and again for any future increases in the number of cameras installed. It also would address one of voters' biggest concerns by mandating yellow light intervals comply with the "Manual for Uniform Traffic Control Devices" issue by the Transportation Department, plus one second.
HB 1099 takes a slightly different approach on yellow lights. It would set the standard at the "85th percentile of free-flowing traffic and the kinematic formula published by the Institute of Traffic Engineers. It also would require a minimum grace period of one second between when the signal turns red and the time the infraction is recorded.
According to a 2004 study by the Texas Transportation Institute on the use of red-light cameras, extending yellow lights by one second not only reduced violations by 53 percent, but also dropped crash rates by 40 percent.
Hurst, the bills' sponsor, told The News Tribune in Tacoma: "If the Legislature does not act, there will be an initiative on the ballot."
The News Tribune also reported on HB 1279, a third measure introduced by freshman Democratic Rep. Connie Ladenburg, a former Tacoma City Council member.
From the story:
One worry is that cameras ensnare drivers who are turning right on red, and who inch forward into the turn instead of making the required complete stop. Ladenburg is still working on exactly what standards to propose, but the idea is to prevent ticketing of drivers as long as they slow down and don't endanger pedestrians.
The Tacoma-backed bill also would expand the locations where speed cameras could be placed to include streets along transit stations and heavily-used parks. It would restrict school-zone cameras to the beginning and end of the school day.
In Seattle, drivers whose license plates were caught on camera face a $124 fine through the mail, although the citation does not stick to their record.