June 15, 2009 in City

Red light cameras coming to four more intersections

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Say cheese, red light runners.

Red light cameras are coming to four more Spokane intersections.

Within the next couple of months, cameras will point northbound on Division at Sprague, eastbound on Wellesley at Ash, westbound on Second at Thor, and northbound on Freya at Third, police said at today’s Public Safety Committee meeting.

Cameras have been pointed at the north- and southbound lanes on Division at Francis; the northbound lanes on Hamilton Street at Mission Avenue; and the southbound lanes on Browne Street at Sprague Avenue since Oct. 1.

The Division and Francis intersection will get additional cameras at the lefthand turn lanes for north and southbound traffic.

Nearly 2,500 $124 tickets have been issued; about 67 percent have been paid, police said.

“I’m personally pleased with the program,” said City Council President Joe Shogan. “I don’t hear a lot of drivers in Spokane complaining about it.”

Six comments on this story so far. Add yours!

• 

  DocTom on June 15 at 2:05 p.m.

  These are a great way to get folks to pay attention! We need more of these cameras throughout the area. I was appalled on Saturday to watch a truck drive blatantly through a red light and make a deliberate turn onto Hwy 2 from Holland. Everyone had to do a panic stop while Mr. Jerko in his red pickup, cell phone in ear, ignored an already red light and made his stupid move anyway. One of these cameras would have provided a duly deserved $124. response to his stupid move. Needless to say, I am a big supporter of these cameras.

• 

  swensel on June 15 at 2:14 p.m.

  I’m more equivocal about this. First, $124 is not really enough to deter habitual red-light runners. Therefore, we are no safer with them than without them. Second, drivers have to make the choice of slamming on their brakes when lights turn yellow unexpectedly and risk being rear-ended by the guy behind them. Most cities who have installed these cameras have noticed a significant uptick in the number of rear-end collisions (making us less safe with them than without them). These collisions, consequently, increase the amount of work time lost to injury and require insurance to pay the medical and repairs bills. As a result, insurance premiums in a region start going up. It’s a vicious domino effect in a region that doesn’t need any more economic stress during this recession.

  Don’t even get me going on the whole due process issue.

• 

  tahota on June 15 at 2:27 p.m.

  Notice that these are all located in the poorer neighborhoods.

• 

  MrNatural on June 15 at 2:42 p.m.

  Why not require a sensor in each car that responds to a speed limit sensor on the given roadway. That way you can ticket anyone anywhere at any time…
  …and soon the sanctimonious can generate revenue by implanting little chips in everyone head to know when they have had too much alcohol, taking drugs or feeling homicidal behind the wheel…

  …and I think to myself…what a wonderful world….

• 

  karl2002 on June 15 at 5:26 p.m.

  These contraptions are nothing more than a cash generation scheme. The majority of the tickets written are for people who make rolling stops while turning red, not the few who barrel through a red light. I say get rid of ‘em or just ignore the tickets. They can’t use your photo and have no proof of delivery.

• 

  George_Sands on June 15 at 8:46 p.m.

  Shogun doesn’t hear any complaints because he harasses so many voters/citizens that no one would talk to the “royal mushroom”.