Agenda Date: 03/03/2015
Subject:
Title
Motion to not renew the photo red light program contract with American Traffic Solutions.
Body
Presented By:
Doug Stephens, Chief of Police
POLICY QUESTION:
Does city council support not renewing the photo red light program contract with American Traffic Solutions (ATS), which expires July 31, 2015?
BACKGROUND:
The City of Littleton began use of automated photo red light cameras in 2009 at the intersection of West Littleton Boulevard and South Broadway. The program expanded in 2010 to include the intersections of South Santa Fe Drive and West Mineral Avenue, and South Santa Fe Drive and West Bowles Avenue. The final two intersections, South Broadway and West Mineral Avenue, and South Platte Canyon Road/South Lowell Boulevard and West Bowles Avenue, were added in 2011.
The city entered into a long-term contract with a private vendor, American Traffic Solutions (ATS), with the contract expiring July 31, 2015.
The purpose of photo red light cameras is to reduce the number of vehicle accidents. The intersections where photo red light cameras are in use have consistently been among the top ten accident locations in the city since 2008.
Data indicates that the photo red light systems have had minimal impact on reducing accidents at the selected intersections. While injury accidents have decreased slightly at three of the five intersections, non-injury accidents have actually increased at four intersections. Violations peaked in 2010 and have steadily decreased since.
Public opinion on photo red light cameras is a controversial topic, and legislation is being debated at the State Capitol, which would prohibit its use altogether. A similar bipartisan bill was narrowly defeated in the final days of last year's legislative session. The Littleton community appears divided on the issue. An openlittleton.org posting resulted in 56 responses with 28 supporting photo red light cameras and 22 opposing wh...
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