Posted by: Renee Stetzer, pedestrian safety advocate and blogger at RocVille.com
Last week, the City Council approved further study of Rochester’s red light camera program. This isn’t a brand new study, but an expansion of the study that was released in November. The results of that study indicated a reduction in the number of accidents at 22 intersections that have red light cameras. Two intersections had no changes in the collision rates before and after the cameras were installed. And 8 intersections had an increase in the number of collisions. Those 8 intersections are the subject of the expanded study, as well as whether the cameras could be tied into traffic signals to help reduce operation costs…
The expanded study will cost the city $30,000 and be conducted by the same firm that conducted the study released this past November. The funds will be allocated from the 2014-15 police department budget .
After the results of the latest study were released, the City Council voted 6 to 3 to continue the red light camera program until 2019. Like red light programs all over the country, the Rochester program is not without controversy. Many are opposed because they feel it unfairly targets citizens in poorer neighborhoods of the city. Others believe it is simply a revenue generator for the city, while unfairly ticketing drivers. When the City Council approved the extension of the program in November, it added an amendment to address another common concern — tickets issued for authorized right turns on red. Still others had concerns with the study itself.
The city hopes the expanded study will help provide more thorough data on those 8 intersections where violations increased, and on the overall safety impact the presence of red light cameras have for all who traverse the 32 intersections currently in the program.
Have something to say about Rochester’s red light camera program? Leave a comment below or join the conversation here:
Do Red Light Cameras Make Rochester Streets Safer?
Cyclists definitely need to obey tfrifac laws and ride safely as a non-motorized vehicle. We at GO Bike are trying to positively influence bicycle culture in a number of ways, including educating bicyclists about safety and laws.Not all drivers are safe or courteous to other drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. Many do not realize how incredibly dangerous driving a 3,000-pound machine at moderate to high speeds is. Everyone drivers and cyclists alike need to respect each other and Share the Road.