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April 24
1962 - SCV residents vote to connect to State Water Project, creating Castaic Lake Water Agency (now part of SCV Water) [story]
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City Council To Look At Red Light Camera Renewal In March[KHTS] – Santa Clarita officials voted to abandon red-light cameras throughout the city Tuesday, after a 3-2 vote and questions about their cost and efficiency.

City officials are penning a letter to RedFlex, which operates the traffic safety cameras, alerting them of the council’s decision to drop the service.
Council members Dante Acosta, TimBen Boydston and Bob Kellar voted to abandon the cameras, while Mayor Marsha McLean and Councilwoman Laurene Weste voted against the motion.
The cameras, which currently operate at seven intersections within city limits, is projected to cost taxpayers about $210,000 in the current fiscal year.
“The actual cameras will be removed after March 31, (on a) date to be confirmed with RedFlex,” according to a statement from Gail Morgan, city spokeswoman. There will be no more tickets issued after that day.
The city is continuing to evaluate intersections citywide for signal timing, synchronization and changes to the length of the yellow light, officials said.
It is anticipated that the yellow lights will be extended at intersections, officials said, at a length that’s going to be determined through traffic analysis.redlightcameras2014
Within the next two weeks, the signs announcing the red light cameras and their fine violation amount will be removed from city intersections.
The red-light cameras reported mixed results, according to Santa Clarita traffic engineers.
There was a 21-percent decrease in total collisions and a 67-percent reduction in the average number of yearly collisions caused by red-light running.
Included in the 21 percent was a 59-percent reduction in broadside collisions, which tend to be more serious, said Andrew Yi, traffic engineer and, perhaps more significantly, a 14-percent decrease in injury collisions, according to city data.
However, intersections with red-light cameras also saw a 13-percent increase in rear-end collisions.
City officials reported this is the first year the cameras are expected to cost the city money.
The loss in revenue was related to several factors, including an increased number of challenges, a decreased rate of compliance with people paying their tickets and an increased yellow-light time.
A suspension of the Red Flex camera service was also discussed, but ultimately, ditched for the motion to get rid of the cameras altogether.

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157 Comments

  1. Hooray back to four cars running red left arrows every light cycle

  2. Hooray back to four cars running red left arrows every light cycle

  3. Back to more accidents at those intersections! Yay

  4. msc545 says:

    Victory at last. Now – what about the issue of all those people who got scammed by this and deserve their money back ?

  5. Oh great!! Now all of you awful drivers in the scv can drive like you normally do but now at least you won’t get a ticket..good for you..

  6. Karina Diaz says:

    Thank goodness, either take them down or ignore the $500 ticket. So ridiculous #notinthiseconomy

  7. Well you can always install a dash cam to record .

  8. Randy Ray says:

    I received a couple of these tickets – I never paid them. It was a self incriminating process.

    • Did anything happen when you didn’t pay them?

    • I did too! Welp for me ignoring, like i was told to, was wrong….its now in collections

    • I did too! Welp for me ignoring, like i was told to, was wrong….its now in collections

      • msc545 says:

        It doesn’t matter if its in collections. It will never appear on your credit report. All that will happen is that you will get one or perhaps two letters. Throw them away.

    • Randy Ray says:

      There is a website dedicated to red light cameras… Technically a ticket needs to be signed at the time it’s issued. Once you complete the form and sign – you incriminate yourself.

      Nothing ever happened. I would fight the collection – and write your local representative.

    • Randy Ray says:

      There is a website dedicated to red light cameras… Technically a ticket needs to be signed at the time it’s issued. Once you complete the form and sign – you incriminate yourself.

      Nothing ever happened. I would fight the collection – and write your local representative.

    • Deej Reeher says:

      Santa Clarita is the only town in Los Angeles county where you have to pay the ticket or you will have a bench warrant. All other towns Dont matter. I believe it’s called the Santa Clarita red light project. Thank god it’s being removed

    • Deej Reeher says:

      Santa Clarita is the only town in Los Angeles county where you have to pay the ticket or you will have a bench warrant. All other towns Dont matter. I believe it’s called the Santa Clarita red light project. Thank god it’s being removed

      • msc545 says:

        This is just simply wrong. Santa Clarita does not issue bench warrants unless you were stupid enough to go to court and were ordered to pay. If you don’t show up, nothing happens. Stop spreading false information.

    • John Dove says:

      You might want to lay low for awhile. You probably have a warrant out for your arrest for failure to appear…

    • John Dove says:

      You might want to lay low for awhile. You probably have a warrant out for your arrest for failure to appear…

    • John Dove says:

      You might want to lay low for awhile. You probably have a warrant out for your arrest for failure to appear…

  9. John Gilbert says:

    I don’t like the idea of cams, but, I do remember lines of cars playing follow the leader, blowing the lights on left hand turns at Whites & Soledad (and others) all the time. And, that was when there wasn’t as much traffic as now. An accident in the intersection today will be a real mess of huge proportions in such a high density corridor.

  10. Ana Gigi says:

    What we need to do is change grow speed limits!!!

  11. Nada Quinn says:

    I wrote a letter that was printed in The Signal a few years ago about my tickets and how I went to court. When you have to choose between slamming on your brakes and getting rear ended with your kids in the car or avoid the rear end, speed through and get a ticket(because all other non camera intersections people just blow through the yellow) I chose the ticket both times and lost. Can I get my $800 dollar refund now? Those tickets didn’t teach me to drive any differnt, just generated $

    • Was just about to post the same thing! They do nothing but potentially cause more accidents. I ran into the same predicament. I went for it rather than get rear ended. $600 later was my thank you for prevention…

    • Nada Quinn says:

      Yep. I even asked the judge what he would have done and he joked and said, taken the bus

    • You’re a bunch of suckers. You actually pay the ticket? It’s from the city, not a police department. It’s non enforceable. I got one about two years ago, I never paid it. I got a bunch of nasty letters but nothing came of it once they realized I wasn’t going to pay.

    • You’re a bunch of suckers. You actually pay the ticket? It’s from the city, not a police department. It’s non enforceable. I got one about two years ago, I never paid it. I got a bunch of nasty letters but nothing came of it once they realized I wasn’t going to pay.

    • Danny Guerra says:

      Because of those cameras my car got rear ended cause I tried avoiding the ticket they need to get rid of them they cause accidents

  12. Thank God! If someone slowed down in front — u got the ticket!

  13. In answer to all the running red lights quips, SCV is known for some of the shortest “Yellow Light” time periods in California and study after study shows that a shortened yellow light period causes more accidents than almost any other factor out there that is within our control. Instead of complaining about the cameras going away, complain about something that would be greatly productive.

  14. Just remember next time she’s up for re-election, McLean voted to keep them

  15. Zach Haskell says:

    Good thing we have a good ambulance company serving the communities within the Santa Clarita Valley

  16. Chris Leach says:

    you don’t have to pay for a ticket anyways is you challenge the ticket in court the right way. there’s a loophole

    • I found the loop hole and win my case. The judge dismissed the ticket and then 2 months later I got a letter from an attorney for the city stating they were appealing the courts decision. Upon appeal the court ruled in the city’s favor and I lost. So loop hole doesn’t work either. I thought the only thing that could be appealed was felonies. Never would have guessed the city could appeal a traffic violation.

    • The loop hole is to just ignore the ticket like everybody else. It’s from the city and not a police department. I ignored mine from two years ago and never heard anything more about it.

  17. Danielle Jones you can come visit me now, without getting a ticket

  18. I got a red light ticket San diego and one in commerce . I got a letter both times ask for legal advise and was told to ignore it . That was like 3 years ago and nothing happened.

  19. I want my $500 back stupid camera

  20. Brad Rennels says:

    I love that our Mayor called the citizens of the SCV “dumb”. That was the best part.

  21. Good! One time they send me a ticket when somebody else was driving my truck, and they told me i had to say who drove my truck. Never pay the ticket or told them who drove my truck and I didn’t get in trouble like they said I would.

  22. Leanne Park says:

    Erika Marie Generoso your dream come true hahahhaa

  23. Leanne Park says:

    Erika Marie Generoso your dream come true hahahhaa

  24. Bruce Howell says:

    Wish Culver City would.

  25. Bruce Howell says:

    Wish Culver City would.

  26. I paid mine…how about a refund?! No one else paid!

  27. I paid mine…how about a refund?! No one else paid!

  28. Thanks but a little late. Many young people got charged 500$s and that may have caused fights,abuse,divorce,food shortage for kids,depression, reared accidents,etc. For what, to pad city coffers and pay big bucks to the agency that installs them and collects the money. Shameful!

  29. Thanks but a little late. Many young people got charged 500$s and that may have caused fights,abuse,divorce,food shortage for kids,depression, reared accidents,etc. For what, to pad city coffers and pay big bucks to the agency that installs them and collects the money. Shameful!

  30. Finally what a waste of money

  31. Finally what a waste of money

  32. Cathy Lahey says:

    Good move….what a waste…

  33. Cathy Lahey says:

    Good move….what a waste…

  34. Ummm ok then I want my 1,000 back from the two tickets I got.

  35. Ummm ok then I want my 1,000 back from the two tickets I got.

  36. Randy Geniec says:

    Need to convert the intersections to roundabouts like in Castaic if they care about safety and traffic flow.
    http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/intersection/roundabouts/fhwasa08006/

  37. Randy Geniec says:

    Need to convert the intersections to roundabouts like in Castaic if they care about safety and traffic flow.
    http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/intersection/roundabouts/fhwasa08006/

  38. Take a look….Randy Kruska

  39. Take a look….Randy Kruska

  40. I don’t live there anymore but I am glad, my older daughter got a ticket in my car on one of those damn things.

  41. I don’t live there anymore but I am glad, my older daughter got a ticket in my car on one of those damn things.

  42. Dan Aird says:

    Good! We can’t let these Fascists control us.

  43. Dan Aird says:

    Good! We can’t let these Fascists control us.

  44. Monika Rasaei oomg thank god!

  45. Monika Rasaei oomg thank god!

  46. Thank you, thank you, thank you, don’t believe the hype that the city will make

  47. Thank you, thank you, thank you, don’t believe the hype that the city will make

  48. Jill says:

    So if we have a ticket from last month that hasn’t been paid yet, do we still have to pay?

  49. Randy Kruska says:

    I beat this terrible program on Bouquet Canyon Rd. Rip off, short sighted, city serving system. Glad they finally figured it out! How many defenseless people got screwed over the years!!! yay for Newhall!

  50. Randy Kruska says:

    I beat this terrible program on Bouquet Canyon Rd. Rip off, short sighted, city serving system. Glad they finally figured it out! How many defenseless people got screwed over the years!!! yay for Newhall!

  51. Kudos to the Council for doing the right thing …. and thanks to Mr. Farrell for spearheading the effort!

  52. Beth Jenkins says:

    remove all
    Of them!!

  53. Chris Anderson says:

    Kudos to the City Council for doing the right thing!

  54. People still run 5 to a red light even with cameras. Intersection of NEwhall Ranch rd and bouquet Canyon at 5:45p its redic

  55. Joe Kensil says:

    About frigging time.

  56. Will Carlson says:

    Not to mention that the tickets you receive in the mail arent even real. All these things are, are useless maintenance. Just a way to raise their budget to line some pockets with. Spend money on this instead: remove the turns into vons/best buy on bouquet, and add another lane to countless roads all over the valley. There’s three cars for every one person in scv.

  57. Leo Padilla says:

    Six flags here i come

  58. Tell me about it i had to pay a ticket by running a red light and the suck part i don’t even know if it was me or my sister we look identical in the picture can i get my 400 dollar back arghhh

  59. Michael Lyn says:

    Get rid of this Sh^* SCV. Isn’t that the reason everyone moved here ? To get away from this insidious form of nonfunctional local gov. control ?

  60. Dave Dzaich says:

    Good. I wonder if that stupid Awesome Town slogan was put to a vote.

  61. msc545 says:

    Also, nobody has mentioned this, but I wonder if all those that actually went ot court for these tickets (and lost of course) wound up with a violation on their DMV record, a point on their license, and higher insurance rates as a result. If all that happened too, it needs to be corrected. I think people should start demanding their money back from the City and taking them to small claims court if the city refuses, and also making complaints to the DMV as well. This was a massive fraud.

  62. Jason Moran says:

    Simple fact is people need to slow down, and people drive like they got there license out of a Cracker Jack box. I see cars running red lights on bouquet and Newhall all the time and it’s not because of a yellow light , people are in to much of a damn hurry to get the next red light.

  63. Jason Moran says:

    Simple fact is people need to slow down, and people drive like they got there license out of a Cracker Jack box. I see cars running red lights on bouquet and Newhall all the time and it’s not because of a yellow light , people are in to much of a damn hurry to get the next red light.

  64. Hallelujah! Get rid of that

  65. Hallelujah! Get rid of that

  66. Kory Abel says:

    Good news good job lawmakers

  67. Kory Abel says:

    Good news good job lawmakers

  68. These things cause more accidents then they prevent. Good riddance.

  69. These things cause more accidents then they prevent. Good riddance.

  70. These things cause more accidents then they prevent. Good riddance.

  71. I’m not going to pay for that ticket anyway.

  72. trent says:

    The open letter from James Farley indicated that Santa Clarita left turn yellow-lights were 3.5 seconds, longer than the state minimum of 3.0. By law, the yellow lights were not short and are longer than many other cities. However, since Santa Clarita has long turn pockets and higher speeds, they should be longer than 3.5 to adequately make a decision to stop or go.

    I doubt the city will issue refunds since they were operating within state law.

  73. We had these in the Charlotte area but they were deemed too expensive to maintain. Most of that cost was from city workers and officials blowing through the red lights.

  74. We had these in the Charlotte area but they were deemed too expensive to maintain. Most of that cost was from city workers and officials blowing through the red lights.

  75. msc545 says:

    I have a lawyer friend who is interested in helping people who got scammed by this thing get their money returned (presumably with interest). He needs just three people willing to be plaintiffs in order to proceed. It won’t cost you anything but there is no guarantee of winning, of course. Contact me (Leon will give you my email address I think) if you are interested. I would do this myself except I never paid these tickets as the ones I got were for legal left turns that were to slow to avoid the camera.

  76. John Rivera says:

    This was a mistake from the beginning causing nothing but paranoia chaos and distrust towards our local government. Also, last thing the citizens of Santa Clarita need is big brother invading another aspect of their lives. I am very surprised that the citizens of SC didn’t uprise sooner. Let’s not be Sheep people. That scam lasted to long as far as I’m concerned.

    • msc545 says:

      John, I completely agree with you; this kind of sleazy money grabbing breeds nothing but disrespect for the law and distrust of local government. I am amazed at the number of people who went along with it for so long, and who even now apparently are willing to put up with having been stolen from. I hope people will come forward and teach the perpetrators of this a lesson in court.

  77. msc545 says:

    Ok, so given that I’ve received no email, I guess none of you want your money back. So be it.

  78. Teresa Savaikie says:

    Well I know all these comments old but maybe if we could change peoples behavior and care for the safety of others the cameras would not have been needed. At 40 miles an hour vehicle verses pedestrians in vehicle verses pedestrians leaves 85 – 90 percent chance of death, at Seco and Bouquet drivers constantly ran the red lights. Roads were built for people, all of us that use the roads, drivers, people on bikes and pedestrians. Yet our speed limits are not survivable to pedestrians. Our city could have asked LA County to pitch in for the cost of the red-light cameras as they have approved and continue to approve new and massive projects out of city boundaries, all of which use our roads. My son was killed within a few months after they removed the red light cameras at Bouquet and Seco. We as a society, a family community should make pedestrian safety a number one priority. If I had known the statistics of vehicle-verses pedestrians I would have never let my almost 15 year old son to cross these dangerous roads. We taught him safety, we taught him right but one mans behavior took his life. Surely we as people and as a city we can and must demand safety for all of us that have a right to use our roads. Until we implement true changes that make our streets survivable, until we enforce them, I would think twice if I were any parent of allowing my child cross these roads, they are death traps from drivers that think nothing of their consequences, why should they? Kill a pedestrian by running a rd light and the fine is $1000. for killing someone, the same fine drivers get for littering along freeways. We cannot change peoples behavior without strong laws, without enforcement, higher penalties not less for running red lights, for speeding, in a perfect world people would care enough to think of others when they get in their cars and start their engines. Nothing will bring my loving son home, I will never hear his laughter or giant smile because someone could not be bothered to obey the law, could not be bothered to wait a few extra minutes. I read the reflex history of Seco and Bouquet, so many things I did no learn soon enough to save my child. May none of you ever have to face this heart wrenching pain

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