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July 3, 2007

Electronic Eyes

Five more red-light cameras won’t have a warning period

Story by: Ray Edward Buffington IV

The Shorthorn staff

The Shorthorn: Robert Rodriguez

The Cooper Street and Pioneer Parkway intersection is one of several now equipped with red-light cameras. The new photo-enforced traffic lights are part of the Safe Stop Arlington program to discourage drivers from running red lights and to prevent accidents.

Five more intersections in Arlington are equipped with active red-light cameras, and ticketing for red-light violations at those cross streets began Sunday.

Video and photograph cameras are at the intersections of Cooper Street and Pioneer Parkway, South Cooper Street and Southwest Green Oaks Boulevard, Watson Road and Avenue H, Watson Road and Six Flags Drive, and Watson Road and Park Row Drive.

The accident-heavy intersections were recently equipped with the cameras as part of the Safe Stop Arlington program, Arlington Police Chief Theron Bowman said in a press release. The program’s goal is to reinforce good driving habits.

“Photo enforcement has been extremely successful in communities throughout Texas and the rest of the United States in changing the driving behavior of motorists,” he said. “If drivers slow down and stop for red lights, preventing future crashes, the cameras are going to accomplish their job.”

The five new installations are in addition to the camera-equipped intersections West Arbrook Boulevard and Matlock Road, and South Collins Street and Sublett Road, which have been active since June 12.

Christy Gilfour, Arlington Police Department media relations coordinator, said 133 notices have been issued to red-light runners since the first two intersections became active.

The Department gave a 15-day warning period after the first two cameras were installed. During 10 days of the trial, 215 warnings were given out, Gilfour said.

“We had the warning period to alert the public to the fact that we were going to have red-light cameras in operation in the city, and that has already passed,” she said. “We won’t be doing any more warning periods with any additional cameras.”

She said future camera additions are possible.

“Right now, the Safe Stop Arlington program managers are still researching red-light statistics, and they are looking at additional problem intersections,” she said. “Depending on the outcome of what they discover, there may be more camera additions by the first of September.”

Nursing senior Tiffany Reetz admitted she occasionally runs red lights when she’s distracted but has yet to be ticketed. She said that even though she makes mistakes, the cameras are a good idea.

“It is a pain in the butt if it happens to you, but then again, you are supposed to stop at a red light,” she said. “It makes sense to me.”