[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.
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
Oscar Niño
Oscar Niño
Its about time!!
Its about time!!
Hooray back to four cars running red left arrows every light cycle
Hooray back to four cars running red left arrows every light cycle
Back to more accidents at those intersections! Yay
Slamming on your breaks to avoid running a red light to prevent getting a ticket causes accidents as well. Sometimes your just in a bad spot and can either run it or risk being rear ended!
Slamming on your breaks to avoid running a red light to prevent getting a ticket causes accidents as well. Sometimes your just in a bad spot and can either run it or risk being rear ended!
http://www.motorists.org/red-light-cameras/increase-accidents
http://www.motorists.org/red-light-cameras/increase-accidents
Victory at last. Now – what about the issue of all those people who got scammed by this and deserve their money back ?
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..
:)
Thank goodness, either take them down or ignore the $500 ticket. So ridiculous #notinthiseconomy
Well you can always install a dash cam to record .
Mike Ceniceros
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
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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.
You might want to lay low for awhile. You probably have a warrant out for your arrest for failure to appear…
You might want to lay low for awhile. You probably have a warrant out for your arrest for failure to appear…
You might want to lay low for awhile. You probably have a warrant out for your arrest for failure to appear…
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.
Allen Noeller
What we need to do is change grow speed limits!!!
:/ hahaha yeah cuz ladys are so dumb to drive
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…
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.
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
Mark Austin
Thank God! If someone slowed down in front — u got the ticket!
Good riddance
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.
good.
Just remember next time she’s up for re-election, McLean voted to keep them
Good thing we have a good ambulance company serving the communities within the Santa Clarita Valley
We do…?
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.
Danielle Jones you can come visit me now, without getting a ticket
That’s right
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.
I want my $500 back stupid camera
Me too + traffic school fees. (Although, I did learn a few things.
I love that our Mayor called the citizens of the SCV “dumb”. That was the best part.
Cindy Nordstrom
Can I have my money back? Can I can I can I?
Good! One time they send me a ticket when somebody else was driving my truck, and they told me i had to say who drove my truck. Never pay the ticket or told them who drove my truck and I didn’t get in trouble like they said I would.
Ciao Bella
Madona Joseph
Thank you!
Love it.
Love it.
Erika Marie Generoso your dream come true hahahhaa
Erika Marie Generoso your dream come true hahahhaa
Wish Culver City would.
Wish Culver City would.
About damn time!
About damn time!
I paid mine…how about a refund?! No one else paid!
I paid mine…how about a refund?! No one else paid!
Thanks but a little late. Many young people got charged 500$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!
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!
Finally what a waste of money
Finally what a waste of money
Robert Brode.
Robert Brode.
Good move….what a waste…
Good move….what a waste…
Lol
Lol
So ignore ticket?
So ignore ticket?
Ummm ok then I want my 1,000 back from the two tickets I got.
Ummm ok then I want my 1,000 back from the two tickets I got.
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/
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/
Take a look….Randy Kruska
Take a look….Randy Kruska
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.
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.
Good! We can’t let these Fascists control us.
Good! We can’t let these Fascists control us.
Monika Rasaei oomg thank god!
Monika Rasaei oomg thank god!
Yeah!
Yeah!
Thank you, thank you, thank you, don’t believe the hype that the city will make
Thank you, thank you, thank you, don’t believe the hype that the city will make
So if we have a ticket from last month that hasn’t been paid yet, do we still have to pay?
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!
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!
Kevin Jones
Yes!
Kudos to the Council for doing the right thing …. and thanks to Mr. Farrell for spearheading the effort!
remove all
Of them!!
About time!!!
Kudos to the City Council for doing the right thing!
Vina Penuela
People still run 5 to a red light even with cameras. Intersection of NEwhall Ranch rd and bouquet Canyon at 5:45p its redic
About frigging time.
Yeahhhhh&
I am thrilled!
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.
Six flags here i come
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
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 ?
Good. I wonder if that stupid Awesome Town slogan was put to a vote.
Deanna Marie
Deanna Marie
About time.
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.
Cindy Petrelli
http://www.motorists.org/red-light-cameras/increase-accidents
http://www.motorists.org/red-light-cameras/increase-accidents
Great news
Great news
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.
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.
Hallelujah! Get rid of that
Hallelujah! Get rid of that
Kelly Broussard
Kelly Broussard
Good news good job lawmakers
Good news good job lawmakers
These things cause more accidents then they prevent. Good riddance.
These things cause more accidents then they prevent. Good riddance.
These things cause more accidents then they prevent. Good riddance.
Dorinda Ivey
David Denham
David Denham
Yay!
Yay!
No cop, no stop
I’m not going to pay for that ticket anyway.
Sheila Rodriguez
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Ok, so given that I’ve received no email, I guess none of you want your money back. So be it.
Im interested email me you # so we can talk john.rivera@edd.ca.gov
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