Duluth red-light runners, watch out: New high-tech cameras could be coming your way.
Monday night, the Duluth City Council is expected to vote to switch its red-light camera system to one that would continuously record video to snag scofflaws. Even better, Police Chief Randy Belcher said, the new system wouldn't cost the Gwinnett County city more than it takes in.
Duluth currently has four red-light cameras at Pleasant Hill Road and Peachtree Industrial Boulevard.
It pays Norcross-based LaserCraft $2,650 per camera, per month. Although the city is breaking even on the service, it won't once camera fees go up this summer, Belcher said.
American Traffic Solutions, an Arizona-based company, would charge $4,750 per camera, per month, but it wouldn't saddle the city with more than what the camera fetches in revenue, Belcher said. And anything above $4,750 would feed into the city's coffers.
"The bottom line is that it's not going to cost the city a dime," Belcher told the City Council recently.
ATS cameras are used by Gwinnett County and the cities of Alpharetta and Roswell.
In addition to cameras at Pleasant Hill Road and Peachtree Industrial Boulevard, Belcher recommended installing ATS cameras at the intersection of Pleasant Hill and Berkeley Lake roads. City Administrator Phil McLemore said city leaders aren't expected to do that until the new system is put to the test.
Critics, including some ticketed drivers, say red-light cameras are unconstitutional and unfairly target commuters who make the daily trek through traffic-clogged intersections. But proponents, including law enforcement officials,argue that the cameras have reduced the number and severity of accidents.
"The main thing we're trying to do is eliminate T-bone-type accidents," Councilwoman Marsha Anderson Bomar said. "The safety aspect is the most important part. If the cameras are justified from a safety perspective, we want to make sure the cameras aren't costing the citizens."
McLemore said the city already has sent a letter to LaserCraft ceasing the contract, which comes up for renewal in July.
Last year, Duluth was among five Gwinnett municipalities that ditched the red-light cameras. Officials said although violations, accidents and injuries were down, so were citations, which helped pay for the automated ticketing program that was costing some cities more than $400,000 a year. McLemore said violations surged after Duluth deactivated its cameras, so city leaders turned them back on.
About the Author
The Latest
Featured
