No Red Light Cameras in Huntington Beach, CA
06-02-2009, 06:21 PM
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No Red Light Cameras in Huntington Beach, CA
H.B. police chief drops red light camera program
Chief Ken Small says the program was not financially viable and could lead to increase in rear-end collisions.By ANNIE BURRIS
The Orange County Register
I don't really sweat these as my Escort Passport 9500 ix tells me where they are as soon as I get within 1,000 feet of them but this is great news for most. $6,000 per camera per month?! Do people run enough lights to cover that cost?
Chief Ken Small says the program was not financially viable and could lead to increase in rear-end collisions.By ANNIE BURRIS
The Orange County Register
HUNTINGTON BEACH – Surf City's police chief has decided to opt out of using a camera system to catch red light violators, ending months of debate by residents over the cameras' effectiveness.
The City Council had asked Redflex Traffic System in March to study placing automated red-light cameras at about 20 city intersections, with nine on Beach Boulevard among the highest priority. The company did the study for free, and if the council had approved the program, Redflex would have installed the cameras.
Police Chief Ken Small said a number of factors led to his decision, including concerns about an increase in rear end collisions, the cost of implementing the new program, and whether the cameras would prevent serious traffic collisions caused by running red lights.
"After looking at the data … I'm really not comfortable recommending the implementation of the system anywhere in Huntington Beach," Small said.
Panicked drivers trying to avoid a ticket might slam on the brakes causing a rear-end crash, Small said. Also, he said the number of major traffic collisions from drivers running a red light was not great enough warrant the cost of the program.
The computer-controlled cameras with triggering mechanisms record violations 24 hours a day. Residents would receive their tickets in the mail with photos of their car, identifiable though license plate numbers, running the light. A photo is taken of the driver as well as a video of the violation that can be viewed online.
Redflex officials were not immediately available for comment.
Orange County cities with the cameras include Garden Grove, Costa Mesa, Santa Ana, Fullerton, Los Alamitos and San Juan Capistrano. The estimated cost for the Huntington Beach system would have been about $6,000 per camera per month.
Resident Norm Westwell, who has opposed the cameras since the council first took up the issue in 2007, calls them "scam-ras.''
"I'm pleased that it is not going forward," said Westwell, who is also president of the Ocean View School District board. "I don't think the red light cameras are an effective way to increase public safety."
Mayor Keith Bohr said locals didn't seem receptive to the program and the cameras weren't visitor friendly in a city that is trying to market itself as a tourist destination.
"I think the tea leaves were being read that the support had dissipated," said Bohr who had originally voted for the study. "It wasn't the right time or place at this point."
The City Council had asked Redflex Traffic System in March to study placing automated red-light cameras at about 20 city intersections, with nine on Beach Boulevard among the highest priority. The company did the study for free, and if the council had approved the program, Redflex would have installed the cameras.
Police Chief Ken Small said a number of factors led to his decision, including concerns about an increase in rear end collisions, the cost of implementing the new program, and whether the cameras would prevent serious traffic collisions caused by running red lights.
"After looking at the data … I'm really not comfortable recommending the implementation of the system anywhere in Huntington Beach," Small said.
Panicked drivers trying to avoid a ticket might slam on the brakes causing a rear-end crash, Small said. Also, he said the number of major traffic collisions from drivers running a red light was not great enough warrant the cost of the program.
The computer-controlled cameras with triggering mechanisms record violations 24 hours a day. Residents would receive their tickets in the mail with photos of their car, identifiable though license plate numbers, running the light. A photo is taken of the driver as well as a video of the violation that can be viewed online.
Redflex officials were not immediately available for comment.
Orange County cities with the cameras include Garden Grove, Costa Mesa, Santa Ana, Fullerton, Los Alamitos and San Juan Capistrano. The estimated cost for the Huntington Beach system would have been about $6,000 per camera per month.
Resident Norm Westwell, who has opposed the cameras since the council first took up the issue in 2007, calls them "scam-ras.''
"I'm pleased that it is not going forward," said Westwell, who is also president of the Ocean View School District board. "I don't think the red light cameras are an effective way to increase public safety."
Mayor Keith Bohr said locals didn't seem receptive to the program and the cameras weren't visitor friendly in a city that is trying to market itself as a tourist destination.
"I think the tea leaves were being read that the support had dissipated," said Bohr who had originally voted for the study. "It wasn't the right time or place at this point."
I don't really sweat these as my Escort Passport 9500 ix tells me where they are as soon as I get within 1,000 feet of them but this is great news for most. $6,000 per camera per month?! Do people run enough lights to cover that cost?
06-04-2009, 12:30 PM
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At nearly $500 a ticket, that's only 12 photos a month to cover operation cost.
I remember reading a while back that some cameras in the OC were returning as much as $100,000 a month. Further reading reveled that these cameras were removed because they were improperly calibrated.
I remember reading a while back that some cameras in the OC were returning as much as $100,000 a month. Further reading reveled that these cameras were removed because they were improperly calibrated.
Last edited by Rotary Rasp; 06-04-2009 at 12:45 PM.
06-04-2009, 02:21 PM
#5
A new set of lights was put in at the intersection of Torrey Pines and Genesee next to UCSD. In the evening while working out I would see the camera lights flashing. It wasn't until I was stopped at the red light and seeing people making right turns (on a green) or brief right on reds with the camera flashing that I noticed that the cameras were most definitely not calibrated with the lights.
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