Colorado Springs to give red-light cameras a second try

Eight years after dismantling red-light cameras at four intersections, Colorado Springs will bring them back at two locations starting Tuesday.

The previous cameras were removed in 2011 — less than a year after they were installed — because police said they had little effect on reducing crashes by drivers who ran red lights, and that, because of an officer shortage, the city couldn’t spare the necessary manpower to monitor the program.

For the second camera go-around, police chose eastbound Platte Avenue at Chelton Road, and westbound Briargate Boulevard at Lexington Drive as the locations.

“The locations are different than they were last time,” said Lt. Howard Black. “We’ve updated our research on where most of the serious crashes happened. After the city had a record 48 traffic deaths last year, we decided to bring the cameras back.”

Black said the cameras will work as they did last time: They will photograph the license plate of any car entering either of the two selected intersections after the light turns red. Violators will be mailed a notice of a $75 fine; police will confirm that a violation has occurred and violators will be able to view the images and appeal the fine.

This time, however, drivers will not be fined for failing to stop behind the solid white line at a major intersection.

Police also will not begin issuing fines until May 9, giving drivers a 30-day grace period to prepare for enforcement.

Two more locations — northbound Academy Boulevard at North Carefree Circle and Southbound Academy at Dublin Boulevard — are scheduled to have cameras operating this spring.

At a later date, police plan to identify six more locations for cameras.

The legality and the effectiveness of red-light cameras have been debated across the country. According to a 2017 research study of 12 years of camera use in Houston, Texas, the cameras led to a reduction in the number of interection crashes but an increase in he number of rear-end collisions as drivers tried to avoid camera violations.

Houston voters eventually rescinded the cameras.

“That risk is there if people aren’t paying attention,” Black said. “This is an opportunity for us to all talk about, as we approach intersections throughout the city, paying attention.”
The city said it is contracting with Verra Mobility, the nation’s top provider of red-light and speed camera equipment.