By Michael Van Sickler, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, September 30, 2010
ST. PETERSBURG — A program unveiled Thursday could outfit the city's 20 most crash-prone intersections with cameras as early as next summer to crack down on red light runners.
A City Council committee approved a plan to hire a vendor that will provide cameras, while the city will manage and operate them. Such a plan would cost an estimated $5.3 million over three years, according to Joe Kubicki, the city's director of transportation and parking management.
The committee, made up of council members Herb Polson, Karl Nurse, Jeff Danner and Jim Kennedy, opted for a vendor program rather than having the city buy its own cameras and equipment, which Kubicki estimated would cost $6.9 million over three years.
The entire City Council will vote on the program next Thursday. Then city officials will determine which of the city's 298 signalized intersections will have cameras. Kubicki recommended 20.
He said the city will seek bids from vendors. That will take about eight months.
Once they are installed, drivers who are caught on camera blowing through a red light will get a $158 ticket, but no points on their driving record. If the ticket isn't paid within 30 days, the fine will increase to $256 and become a traffic citation — but still no points.
Kubicki cited federal studies showing that the number of crashes dropped in half within the first year of cameras' being used. Within three years, he said, crashes dropped by 75 percent.
The evidence showing that red light cameras actually make intersections safer isn't conclusive. Researchers with the University of South Florida's Department of Public Health concluded that the cameras actually make intersections more dangerous by increasing the number of rear-end collisions, researchers said.
Kubicki conceded that St. Petersburg doesn't have a problem with intersection crashes. He said the city crash rate is below the national average. Asked why then the city needed the cameras, he replied, "Well, the crashes that do occur are bad. We're trying to prevent those."
He said the city should expect an increase in rear-end collisions but a reduction in right-angle crashes. Police Chief Chuck Harmon said he considers that a good tradeoff.
"Operationally speaking, we've found that the damage is much worse in right-angle crashes," Harmon said.
The city handed out about 1,000 citations last year for red light running. Harmon said the major intersections can require as many as six officers to enforce on a frequent basis. He said police can manage to work major intersections only twice a month.
"It's just not that consistent," Harmon said. "This will allow better enforcement of the major intersections that have problems. It will also help to change the mind-set of motorists."
It also will bring in revenue for the city. For every ticket, the city will get about $67 back. Other cities that have used cameras are flush with cash from cameras. Chicago, for instance, has raised $58 million in camera revenue.
Kubicki said the city will review the program after three years, and could phase it out after five years if accidents go down enough.
Despite the uncertainty of whether the cameras actually promote safety, support among the City Council and Mayor Bill Foster is unanimous.
"This will change behavior," Nurse said. "This will change how people will drive."