Red-light cameras on hold temporary while Vernon and Shields make a point with city staff

A spat between two council members and city staff has stalled the city's move to hire a firm to install cameras to catch red-light runners and speeders.

Council members Justin Shields and Monica Vernon last night had no reservations about the camera system, but they were annoyed that the Police Department had not provided them a breakdown of the pluses and minuses between the two firms competing for the city contract.

In fact, a copy of the breakdown was produced at one point, and police Sgt. Joe Clark also explained why the city review team, which was comprised of representatives from police, purchasing, treasury operations and traffic engineering, selected Gatso USA. Inc., of Beverly, Mass., over Redflex Traffic Systems Inc. of Phoenix.

Council member Chuck Wieneke challenged Shields and Vernon and said they had given into the personal appeals from Redflex over trusting in city staff who were trained to evaluate such specialty proposals.

Shields and Vernon would have none of it. They said they had a fiscal responsibility to better review the two proposals.

The council tabled the matter until its meeting Oct. 14.

Earlier Wednesday, police Capt. Steve O'Konek said the city's camera enforcement operation might feature nearly 50 cameras when it is in place in its entirety in six months.

O'Konek said the plan is to install cameras at 10 intersections and in most cases to have four cameras per intersection to police traffic from each direction.

In something of a new revelation, he said the intersection cameras will be able to catch those running red lights and those speeding through intersections.

Cameras at four of the 10 intersections should be in place within about 90 days, O'Konek said.

If selected, Gatso, which will own, install and maintain the system and handle the ticketing, will receive $30 and the city $70 for red-light violations. Gatso will receive $30 for speeding violations and the city will receive the rest of a speeding fine, which is an amount that increases as the size of the speeding violation increases, O'Konek said.

He said the plan as now envisioned calls for speed-enforcement cameras at a fixed spot on Interstate 380. It may take six cameras in one spot to track traffic in all lanes in both directions. One idea, he said, is to place the cameras where Interstate 380 curves sharply near the downtown.

The first camera to arrive will be a mobile speed-enforcement camera that the Police Department can move around the city. It could be in place in 30 to 45 days, O'Konek said.

A Cedar Rapids police officer will review each violation before it is sent to the owner of the vehicle which was caught on camera. The owner has the responsibility to pay the ticket or have the person driving at the time pay it. Violators will be able to view violations and pay online.

O'Konek said the city has not yet selected the intersections where cameras will go, though he said the intent is to put them in busy places with the most crashes. He said the city will publicize the intersections early and often in the hope that drivers will drive more responsibility at those intersections from the start.

He said the point of the program is to reduce crashes, not hand out tickets.

At the same time, he said the camera enforcement program is likely to generate significant revenue at some intersections.

“We hope we don't have to write any tickets,” O'Konek said. “But you and I know that's not going to occur. … Sometimes that's the only way to get people to pay attention the rules.”