The Virginian-Pilot
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NORFOLK
Red-light cameras are coming to Norfolk, perhaps as early as spring.
The City Council unanimously approved an ordinance Tuesday night directing City Manager Marcus Jones to seek state approval to place red-light cameras at eight intersections.
Once approval is received, a private vendor would be hired to install 16 cameras - two at each intersection. The cameras could be operating in six months, said David Scott, transportation engineer for the city.
There was no council debate, and no residents spoke about the issue.
Norfolk's system would be similar to programs in Virginia Beach, Chesapeake and Newport News. Cameras would record videos of vehicles that run red lights. The videos will be viewed by police officers before tickets are issued by the vendor.
Officials estimate as many as 8,000 tickets per month could be issued.
Under the plan, all of the financial risk would be taken by the vendor, said Councilman Barclay C. Winn, who pushed for red-light cameras.
"To me, this is a no-brainer," Winn said. "It's not going to cost us anything, and it's going to save lives."
Until recently, Councilman Andy Protogyrou was against the proposal, but he changed his mind after meeting with law enforcement and transportation agency officials, including emergency responders.
"I asked them what they would do if they were in my position, and every one of them said they would vote yes," he said.
Norfolk has asked the state to approve cameras at these crossings:
- Brambleton and Colley avenues
- Hampton and Terminal boulevards
- Chesapeake Blvd. and Little Creek Road
- Virginia Beach Blvd. and Raby Road
- Tidewater Drive and Virginia Beach Blvd.
- Military Highway and Northampton Blvd.
- Brambleton Avenue and St. Paul’s Blvd.
- Little Creek Road and Halprin Drive
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all about profit and not safety look at NC
North Carolina Supreme Court Eliminates Profit for Red Light Cameras. The North Carolina Supreme Court let stand a ruling ordering 90 percent of revenue from red light camera programs be given to public schools. Several cities dropped their ticketing programs as financial prospects began to look bleak. So far, Charlotte, Fayetteville, Greensboro, Greenville and High Point have shut down ticketing operations.
The cities want all the money to themselves, they didn't even want to support education with the profits.
http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/18/1834.asp
Revenue Stream
Let's get real. Speed traps and red light cameras are not done in the name of safety. If safety was a big concern the police of Norfolk would be pulling people over for running red lights, speeding down Brambleton but it is kind of hard to do so when you are doing it yourself. But the bottom line is that if you don't know the five speed traps (Hampton Boulevard Bridge anyone?) and now 8 traffic cameras in Norfolk then you deserve a ticket. Especially since the red light intersections will all have huge signs posted at all four streets.
go for it
Put them everywhere. You don't like getting tickets, don't run red lights. Don't like cameras watching you while you're in a public place, stay inside. I have no problem with cities using technology to make streets safer and raise revenue off of dangerous law breakers.
If you obey the law then
If you obey the law then having the police randomly bust down your door in the middle of the night to search your house shouldn't bother you either. Lets just tear up the constitution and call it a day.
Hilarious
So many commenters complaining about cameras being a way for the cities to make money, but I'll bet they'll be the same ones in line to complain if their taxes are raised.
First, the cameras DON'T make money: they barely pay for themselves. This has been proven time and again.
Second, why NOT make traffic scofflaws pay out the nose? Why not revenue off them? If the fines are stiff enough and word gets around, maybe, just maybe, people in this area will actually start obeying the traffic laws.
They missed a few good spots
If they really want to rake in the money, they should set up the cameras at the St Paul's Blvd intersections with Market St and City Hall Ave (The two intersections with entrance ramps to 264 West). They'd have a field day with everyone who sails through the red light heading south on St Paul's trying to get to the tunnel.
Then again, I don't know why the police don't just stake out these two intersections themselves. They can't NOT know this is going on.
Wish the locations had been in the article.
The map is cumbersome.
A couple seem stupid, to the unfamiliar with the purpose. If to save lives, why needed at Colley and Brambleton and Hampton and Terminal. Now they may be money makers for whomever. The article doesn't say, does the city get the money from the infractions, or is this another private/public partnership, where the public takes the risk and the private reaps the rewards.
To save lives, one at Colley and 21st may be good. East/West, at that location, there is no turn on red. I would guess that a third of the time I am there someone ignores that rule.
Needed at those intersections
Brambleton and Colley and Terminal and Hampton have been notorious for decades for accidents caused by people running lights or not stopping first before turning on red. If I had a dime for every accident I've seen or been held up in traffic at those intersections over the last 20 years I could pay for a few months' gasoline.
Location Suggestion
Please put one on St. Paul @ Market Street!!!!!! So many people block that intersection tring to get onto I464.
Residents
Quote: "And no residents spoke up" Cut me a break! When was the last time anyone in any City Council or politician for that matter ever listened to their own residents let alone constituents? Government is going to do whatever they want when they want regardless of the voice of the people. These cameras are nothing but another way to strip the working American of their hard-earned money regardless of how you do it.