Translate[Archived] Question #36: Provide the estimated expenditure increase and revenue increase associated with increasing the number of Red Light Cameras in the City up to the maximum allowed by the Code of Virginia?
Question:
Can you please provide the estimated expenditure increase and revenue increase associated with increasing the number of Red Light Cameras in the City up to the maximum allowed by the Code of Virginia 15.2-968.1?
Response:
Virginia
Code section 15.2-968.1 allow localities to install and operate traffic light
signal photo monitoring systems (red light cameras) at no more than one
intersection for every 10,000 residents, therefore the City may operate red
light cameras at a maximum of 15 intersections. The City currently has
6 cameras at 4 intersections. The maximum
amount of revenue that could likely be generated by 11
additional cameras/intersections assuming
the same violation rate and staffing ratios as
the current intersections is $210,000, however
the actual revenue generation would likely be less than $200,000 for the
following reasons:
-
The new intersections
would be less heavily used and produce fewer violations.
The City may not be able to identify 11 additional intersections that would produce
a similar number of violations. The additional intersections would need to capture
at least 80% of the violations of the existing intersections to break even;
- A successful red light
camera program should change driver behavior and reduce violations over time.
At the current six locations, the number of violations has dropped from 21,569
at their installation to 16,286inCY 2016, and revenue has decreased from $0.6 millionin CY 2015to $0.3 millioninCY 2016.
The Alexandria Police
Department is also concerned that the expansion of the red
light camera program may be perceived more
as a revenue generation initiative
than traffic enforcement. The City so far has avoided the concerns
that DC has raised with its photo red light and photo speed enforcement
programs.