Photo Courtesy of Blog.Panampost.com
Five years after the City of Tallahassee began the installation of 19 red-light cameras at seven intersections, the city has arranged to remove them starting in August.
The Red Light Camera Safety Program contract will not be renewed this year. Since the cameras have been installed, revenues and violations have dropped tremendously decreased.
City officials have not made a major ordeal out of stopping of the system, its downfall was specified on page 4 of City Manager Anita Favors Thompson's June 16 budget message to commissioners.
"This budget does not include revenue or expense for the red light camera program," said Thompson. "The contract expires in August of 2015 and is not being renewed."
Michelle Bono, assistant to the city manager, said the city has agreed to get rid of the Red Light Camera because violations have dropped more than 90 percent at the city's seven red light camera intersections, according to the city’s budget proposal.
"The bottom line is that the red-light camera program has been successful in reducing red-light running,” said Bono. “It is basically to the point where it is no longer viable."
The number of red-light violations dropped from 20,122 in fiscal year 2011 to 8,097 in fiscal year 2014, a decline of nearly 60 percent, according to city documents.
The Red Light Camera Safety Program is expected to end when the contract between the city and vendor Xerox expires Aug. 17, according to Allen Secreast, traffic mobility manager.
“The company is expected to propose a time frame to remove the cameras, and they will come down once the city signs off,” said Secreast. “They will be removed at no expense to the city.
Tallahassee drivers will not have to complain about the red-light camera’s flash anymore after the termination.