|
City: Red-light camera data shows accidents down citywide
WENATCHEE, Jan 18, 2013 (The Wenatchee World - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --
Vehicle collisions at three red-light camera intersections are down 37 percent since cameras were installed in 2010.
The number of collisions for all intersections in the city was down by 15 percent since 2010, from 1,627 to 1,391.
City officials think this is because motorists are aware of red-light cameras but may not know where they are.
"The program is working and it's saving lives and injuries," said Capt. Doug Jones with the Wenatchee Police Department.
Jones and Police Chief Tom Robbins reported on the accident numbers at a City Council retreat on Thursday.
Jones and Robbins reported that there has been a reduction in red-light violations since the cameras were installed. Citations for 2010 were 4,072, for 2011 were 5,633 and for 2012, were 4,436. The spike in 2011 was expected, as motorists got used to the cameras, officials say.
Ticket revenue from the red light cameras -- minus service and management fees -- was $207,370 in 2010; $393,958 in 2011; and $281,731 through mid-December of 2012.
Currently, cameras are located at Fifth Street and Chelan Avenue, Orondo and Chelan avenues, and Mission and Kittitas Street.
In December, Robbins said he wanted the council to consider adding two more cameras: at Miller Street and North Wenatchee Avenue, and at Maiden Lane and North Wenatchee Avenue.
"I get a lot of complains from citizens about those two intersections," the police chief said in December.
Also, if school officials are interested, Robbins would like the council to consider installing cameras to ticket speeders at some local school crossing zones. The number of schools would be determined by feasibility studies and school officials.
On Thursday, Robbins and Jones said they would like cameras considered for the following elementary schools: Newbery, Columbia, Lewis and Clark, Washington and Lincoln; and at Foothills and Pioneer middle schools.
Currently, studies are underway at the two proposed intersections and the seven schools, Jones said.
The City Council did not vote on the proposals Thursday but will wait until data is collected from those studies, Jones said. The council must approve any new camera locations.
Dee Riggs: 664-7147
deeriggs@wenatcheeworld.com
___ (c)2013 The Wenatchee World (Wenatchee, Wash.) Visit The Wenatchee World
(Wenatchee, Wash.) at www.wenatcheeworld.com Distributed by MCT Information
Services
[ Back To Technology News's Homepage ]
|
Internet Telephony Magazine
Click here to read latest issue
CUSTOMER 
Cloud Computing Magazine
Click here to read latest issue
M2M Evolution Magazine
Call Center/CRM
Info Tech 
IP Communications 
Mobile 
Green 
Satellite 
Robotics 
