Red light camera tickets - then and now

An interesting report was given to our Board of Police Commissioners on Tuesday as an informational item that outlined how many tickets have been issued at intersections with red light cameras during their first three months of operation compared to their most recent three months of operation. The table is below (keep in mind that they started at different times, which is noted). The cameras at 39th Street and Southwest Trafficway have been running the longest - more than a year now - but people continue to get tickets there at about the same rate they did a year ago. Compare that to 169 Highway and N. 68th St., which has seen a 93 percent drop in tickets issued.

Overall, though, the cameras seem to be having an impact on red light-running behavior. Tickets have dropped by 58 percent total.

Camera Location	1st Quarter tickets issued	Last quarter tickets issued (1-10-10 to 3/31/10)	Percent change
39th & Southwest Trfwy	1,681 (2/1/09 to 4/30/09)	1,641	-2%
19th & Walnut	51 (6/1/09 to 8/31/09)	36	-29%
27th & Southwest Trfwy	181 (6/1/09 to 8/31/09)	290	+60%
39th & Main	350 (6/1/09 to 8/31/09)	254	-27%
63rd & Prospect	1,003 (6/1/09 to 8/31/09)	663	-34%
79th & Wornall	724 (6/1/09 to 8/31/09)	596	-18%
55th & 71 Highway	6,929 (6/1/09 to 8/31/09)	992	-86%
59th & 71 Highway	1,701 (6/1/09 to 8/31/09)	1,238	-27%
Gregory & 71 Highway	2,625 (6/1/09 to 8/31/09)	1,000	-62%
Vivion & N. Oak	451 (6/1/09 to 8/31/09)	374	-17%
Winner Rd. & I-435	927 (6/1/09 to 8/31/09)	554	-40%
23rd & I-435	692 (6/1/09 to 8/31/09)	495	-28%
68th & 169 Highway	2,122 (6/1/09 to 8/31/09)	147	-93%
Red Bridge & 71 Hwy.	3,355 (8/1/09 to 10/31/09)	1,131	-66%
152 Hwy & Flintlock	1,993 (8/1/09 to 10/31/09)	731	-63%
Bannister & 71 Hwy.	1,597 (8/1/09 to 10/31/09)	782	-51%
I-435 & Wornall	1,070 (8/1/09 to 10/31/09)	561	-48%
TOTAL	27,452	11,485	-58%

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July red light camera statistics

We’ve tallied the red light camera statistics for the month of July. Keep in mind, these numbers will likely be higher in August as cameras were added at more intersections July 24 and July 31.

Total violations reviewed by officers: 8,145
Total citations issued: 5,361
Percent of violations submitted that were approved for citations: 65.8%
Total hours of officer time devoted to reviewing violations: 230.3 hours

As you can see, officers approved only 65.8 percent of the violations they reviewed for citations. They are diligent in reviewing these pictures and videos to determine whether a person actually did violate the law. Below are the top reasons they decided not to issue a ticket and on how many occasions that factor took place in July:

1.) Right turn on red – slow roll: 1,380
2.) Too close to cite: 868
3.) Vehicle stopped – no violation: 224

Other factors for rejecting citations included: no DMV records matches, emergency response vehicles with authorization to go through red lights, unreadable license plates, out-of-focus pictures and a total of three funeral processions.

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Last red-light camera goes up today

Just a reminder that the last of the red light cameras installed by the city becomes operational today, July 31.

That camera is at Wornall Road and I-435

There are now a total of 30 cameras at 18 intersections throughout the city. To see the full list, go to the Public Works web site: http://www.kcmo.org/pubworks.nsf/web/rlc_main?opendocument

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Red light cameras go live at two intersections today

Just a reminder that red light cameras will become operational at two intersections today:

* U.S. Highway 71 and Red Bridge Road
* Bannister Road and I-435.

For more information on the program, check out: http://www.kcmo.org/pubworks.nsf/web/rlc_main?opendocument

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More red light cameras coming

The City of Kansas City, Mo., Public Works Department announced Thursday that July 17 is the target date for activating additional red-light safety cameras at the following intersections:
U.S. Highway 71 and Red Bridge Road
Bannister Road and I-435.

July 24 has been announced as the target date for activating additional red-light safety cameras at the intersections of:
N.E. Barry Road/Missouri Highway 152 and North Flintlock Road
23rd Street and I-435
Bannister Road and U.S. Highway 71.

It is anticipated that three more red-light safety cameras will be activated in late July, bringing the total number of active red-light cameras to 30 and the total number of program intersections to 18. After July, no additional red light cameras are scheduled to be constructed. For more information, go to http://www.kcmo.org/pubworks.

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Red light cameras and police limitations

From the outset of the Red Light Camera Program, my stance has been that the police department supports it if it’s for safety purposes, not generating revenue. We’ve now come to a crossroads in which continuing the program as it’s currently run is causing us to do a rather unsafe thing: pull two traffic enforcement officers off the street a day to review the violations. That’s two officers who could otherwise be responding to calls for service, enforcing traffic laws on highways and streets, helping stranded motorists and providing traffic control at significant events.

The Special Operations Division reports that each red light camera generates about 20 violations per day. At present, there are 20 red light cameras, with another 10 to be installed by the end of the summer. This equates to 600 violations to review per day, or about 4,200 a week. The officers must watch the video of each violation to determine if it clearly shows a car running a red light. Officers are currently able to review about 43 violations per hour. Therefore, (with an occasional break for the officers) it takes about 95 hours a week to review the violations, which is more than the work of two full-time officers. Another 12 hours a week is necessary for a sergeant’s review and administration of the program.

Court dates for those who have pleaded not guilty to red light camera tickets have not started yet, and if officers were called into court on these cases often, it would take even more time away from their patrol duties.

Suffice it to say, we cannot go on like this. We are under a hiring freeze and already have reduced manpower due to dozens of early retirements last month. We can ill afford to take two officers away from their regular duties of public safety. It would cost about $150,000 a year to assign two full-time officers to review these violations. If 4,200 violations are issued a week at $100 a piece (another $13.50 goes to court costs), the cost to hire these officers could theoretically be taken care of with the revenue from four days’ worth of violations.

We don’t want this to be about the money, but some is necessary to run the program, and we’re asking the city to work with us on arranging that. I was heartened to hear from city officials at Tuesday’s Board of Police Commissioners meeting that red-light running at the location of the original red light cameras, 39th Street and Southwest Trafficway, has dropped 80 percent since the cameras were installed in February. That kind of increased roadway safety is truly priceless.

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New Red Light Safety Cameras operational today

Remember that four more Kansas City intersections will have Red Light Safety Cameras going operational today, June 1. Those intersections are:

* North Oak Trafficway and Vivion Road
* N.W. 68th Street and U.S. 169 Highway
* Winner Road and I-435
* 23rd Street and I-435

There will be no warning period for these cameras. Violations captured by these cameras will be issued immediately.

These cameras are in addition to those already operating at the following intersections:
* 39th Street and Southwest Trafficway
* W. 79th Street and Wornall Road
* E. 63rd Street and Prospect Avenue
* 39th and Main streets
* E. 19th and Walnut streets
* 27th Street and Southwest Trafficway
* U.S. 71 Highway (Bruce R. Watkins Drive) and 55th Street
* U.S. 71 Highway (Bruce R. Watkins Drive) and 59th Street
* U.S. 71 Highway (Bruce R. Watkins Drive) and Gregory Boulevard

For more information on the program, visit http://www.kcmo.org/pubworks.nsf/web/rlc_main?opendocument

5 more red light cameras

Remember that today is the day five more Red Light Safety Cameras go into effect. They are located at the following intersections:

• W. 79th Street and Wornall Road
• E. 63rd Street and Prospect Avenue
• 39th and Main streets
• E. 19th and Walnut streets
• 27th Street and Southwest Trafficway

These are in addition to the first red light safety camera that has been operating for a couple months at 39th Street and Southwest Trafficway.

For more information on how these cameras work, go to http://www.kcmo.org/pubworks.nsf/web/rlc_main?opendocument

KCPD officers review each violation event captured by the red light cameras and make the final decision as to whether to issue a violation. Just because you see a camera flash does not automatically mean you'll be issued a violation.

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