First red-light cameras should be up Wednesday on 10th Street SE

The city's first red-light cameras should be in place, if all goes well, on Wednesday, reports Police Capt. Steve O'Konek.

The first cameras are going up on 10th Street SE at the intersection with First Avenue East and at the intersection with Second Avenue SE.

O'Konek said the cameras, once in place, should be operational within a few days.

Don't panic yet: He noted that the department will announce when the cameras are ready to go, and he noted, as promised, that there will be a 30-day warning period so the public can get used to how the cameras work.

The cameras are designed to catch red-light runners and those who are speeding through intersections.

In December, the Police Department said it was looking to install multiple cameras at eight intersections and one spot on Interstate 380 (for speeding) and to begin using a mobile camera to catch speeders.

The Police Department and the City Council have been talking publicly about the installation of the cameras for at least a year.

The department will split the revenue with the vendor, Gatso USA Inc. of Beverly, Mass. The vendor will install, operate and maintain the cameras.

In October, O'Konek said the plan was for the vendor to receive $30 and the city $70 for each red-light violation. The vendor will receive $30 for a speeding violation and the city will receive the rest of a speeding fine - an amount that increases as the extent of the speeding violation increases.

The department has estimated that the cameras might generate $750,000 a year for the department, though the department has focused its expectation that the cameras will reduce crashes.