Denver City Council Unanimously Rejects Red Light Cameras, Photo Radar Van Expansion
DENVER (CBS4)- The Denver City Council voted Wednesday night about whether to add more red light cameras. The council unanimously defeated the proposal.
"For the last 10 years I've been studying this issue, and I'm convinced that traffic engineer solutions will practically eliminate red light running, without having to give people tickets," said Councilman Kevin Flynn told CBS4's Kelly Werthmann.
The proposal would have added two additional red light locations and another photo radar van. Last month, the council delayed a vote on a resolution to expand Photo Radar and Red Light Services.
"Two intersections proposed have yellow light timings that are totally inadequate to allow traffic to safely stop," Flynn said. (Three seconds at 13th Avenue & Lincoln Street, 3.5 seconds at 18th Avenue and Lincoln Street)
"In California, they use a variation of the formula for setting yellow lights that caused cities that used cameras for years to take them out. In one city, they went from about 150 violations per month to basically one every five days. That's the kind of improvement you can expect from doing appropriate traffic engineering."
A few council members wanted Denver Police and Denver Public Works to provide more information on what intersections need photo enforcement and why before they can decide if the current fleet should expand.
"I want to prevent accidents, not photograph them," Flynn said.
Right now, the city has four red light cameras at intersections and has five photo radar vans used in various locations. One spot a radar van is often parked is along 17th Avenue near City Park.
