News 3 Now ·  Desktop WX ·  Contact ·  Site Map
Home  ·   News  ·   Weather  ·   Sports  ·   Features  ·   Business  ·   Morning Show  ·   The Buzz  ·   Eye on You (Your Photos & Videos)
At the Movies · Eat.Stay.Play. · Contest · Calendar · Lottery · Blogs · Inside KBTX · Job Search · Obituaries · CW Texas · CBS · Digital TV
SpeakOut Poll
Reveille Round Up
There are currently no active polls at this time.
Click here to view other polls on our site and past poll results.
Community Links
Red Light Cameras Bringing in Big Bucks Save Email Print
Posted: 6:04 PM Mar 28, 2008
Last Updated: 11:53 AM Mar 29, 2008
Reporter: Meredith Stancik
Email Address: stancik@kbtx.com

A | A | A

It has been about a month since College Station initiated its red light camera program, and business is already booming.

A vendor has issued more than $150,000 worth of citations, and what is even more alarming, the video these cameras capture.

When he's not patrolling the streets, Phillip Brown can be found at the police station.

The traffic officer monitors four major College Station intersections for red light runners.

In February, cameras were installed at these four intersections:

1) Texas Avenue at Walton Drive
2) Harvey Road at Munson Avenue
3) Harvey Road at George Bush Drive East
4) Wellborn Road at George Bush Drive

These intersections are where drivers statistically ran the most red lights.

Since then 2,040 citations, at $75 dollars a pop, have been issued. As of Thursday the College Station Police Department still had to review 643 more offenses.

When we sat in with police, most tickets were issued for drivers who didn't stop before they turned right on red.

When we hit the streets, we saw the same thing.

"You should stop before you turn," Motorist Catherine Sandifer said. "Did you stop," we asked. "I don't know I might have."

You can also be ticketed for where you stop.

"If you stop on the crosswalk then you're forcing those pedestrians that are going to use the crosswalk into the intersection or behind you and mix in with traffic," Brown said. "He stopped past the stop bar and yes that does violate state law. State law requires you to stop behind the stop bar."

College Station traffic officers review the video captured by the cameras. They decide whether or not you get a ticket.

If you are ticketed you have 30 days to pay your $75 ticket or it goes up to $100.

You can appeal, but so far no one has done so.

Also, you can't take Drivers Ed, but the good news, the ticket is a civil offense so it won't affect your driving record.

Here are some other red light camera facts, if someone else is driving your car and runs a red light, you still get the ticket.

Also, the money you pay when your cited, is split between the red light camera vendor, the city of College Station and the state Trauma Center fund.

For more information on College Station's red light cameras, click on the link below.

Email  del.icio.us   Google   Yahoo  digg

Related Links
More Stories
16 Taken To Hospital After Chemical Spill

Tires on the Brazos in Washington County

Twin Cities Prepare for Election Day

Former CS Adult Video Store Goes on Auction Block

Brenham Drug Raid Nets Three Arrests

Robertson County Cleaning Up After Three Tornadoes Touch Down

Bryan Man Convicted of Murder

Infant's Injuries Earn Bryan Man an Indictment

Post Your Comments
First Name:
Location:
Enter Comments: characters left
Email (optional):
Email will not be displayed on site. For station contact purpose only.
Read Comments
Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.
Posted by: P.J. Location: Bryan on Apr 3, 2008 at 06:07 PM
It is apparent that John does not like the cameras and thinks it is all about revenue. As he stated in his post of 21 Mar 2008 the amount will dwindle after 3 months. This says it all, John. Mission accomplished if that should occur. It is not about revenue it is about 'breaking the law' and 'safety'. The cost of additional manpower, vehicles/motorcycles, insurance, etc. just would not equal out. I do not remember who the person was that complained about 'privacy'. Well, you drive a car on the 'public' highway why would you worry about your 'privacy'? This really is trivial when it comes to breaking the law and safety.

Posted by: john Location: College Station on Apr 2, 2008 at 03:12 PM
"I dont like the cameras. Instead of spending lots of tax payers money on cameras, maybe they could have instead (i think) added a 3, 5 or 10 sec delay on all the lights. ". (Posted in the updated story as well, but worth repeating here)The problem with "dead reds" is that, unlike forcing the each phase to stick to their allotted time, it decreases the capacity of the intersection. And as any regular user of these roads knows, there are a bunch of them in this town that need to get every car they possibly can through them as quickly as possible. About the only thing that CS could do to make me oppose the cameras would be to run short yellows and recessed stop bars (look at the lefts on Longmire at Rock Prairie) on the monitored intersections, leaving some traffic with the "no win" choice of either stopping beyond the bar, or not clearing the intersection before the yellow goes red, as Victor noted.

Posted by: Victor Location: BCS on Apr 2, 2008 at 09:05 AM
I dont like the cameras. Instead of spending lots of tax payers money on cameras, maybe they could have instead (i think) added a 3, 5 or 10 sec delay on all the lights. This way, when a light turns red, and a moving vehicle crosses the intersection, the other stopped vehicles remain safe.Has anyone see an 18wheeler about 200ft from the intersection going 40mph to 60mph??... its hard for them to stop or If a truck or car is at a "point of no return" they have to cross the intersection. the cop viewing the monitor is going to see in the video that a car passed the red light. Now, we the public have to be careful when crossing these intersection not just from crossing the red light but from being rear-ended. Maybe that money spent could of went to new hires for cops to monitor various intersections

Posted by: Dwight Location: College Station on Apr 1, 2008 at 06:19 PM
If drivers would obey the traffic laws there would be no need for the red light cameras.

Posted by: john Location: College Station on Mar 31, 2008 at 09:19 AM
"Sure, drivers in B/CS can be impatient. Why? Because both Bryan and College Station have mismanaged traffic and traffic light control. I defy the writers castigating those who scoot through an intersection as the light turns red to say they haven't pushed it at a signal after they've had to stop three times in the previous 150 yards." One of the biggest reasons for having to wait on the signals is the idiots like I saw yesterday at Harvey Mitchell (why couldn't they just keep it 2818?) and Texas; After the light went green for northbound Texas, the cars in front of me couldn't enter the intersection because of 3 (I counted; THREE!) cars turning left from eastbound 2818 running the red nose to tail angling across both Texas lanes. This in turn kept me from getting through before the light cycled, because I WON'T mess up everybody else at the light and then blame the goverment like you apparently think you have the god given right to do, your Highness.

Posted by: Big Brother Location: In Your Business on Mar 30, 2008 at 09:53 PM
This is nothing more than an attempt by the tax and spend socialist radicals on city counsel to redistribute existing wealth as opposed to creating new wealth. If this was about safety instead of revenue they would give you the option of donating your fine to worthy charities. It should be noted that they will not issue a warrant for your arrest if you do not submit to this extortion. If everyone cited would refuse to pay the fines these cameras would disappear.

Posted by: Watching You Location: College Station on Mar 29, 2008 at 09:30 PM
For those interested in the statue governing this; CHAPTER 707. PHOTOGRAPHIC TRAFFIC SIGNAL ENFORCEMENT SYSTEM http://tlo2.tlc.state.tx.us/statutes/tn.toc.htm Its all about the revenue, not safety, as they say....

Posted by: Anonymous on Mar 29, 2008 at 08:29 PM
MONEY MAKING !

Posted by: Craig Location: College station on Mar 29, 2008 at 07:33 PM
Can we take some of that money and fix the dang crater-like pot holes at Tarrow and Spring Loop!!!

Posted by: ben Location: College Station, TX on Mar 29, 2008 at 12:03 PM
They need to spend the money on a better police system for College Station. We have huge crime rates and no one behind bars. Officers just want easy money and no work??? No sir! We are gonna need to do way better than that. Its a good idea don't get me wrong but these cameras are not the only thing we need.

Posted by: Ted Location: Vaughan on Mar 29, 2008 at 11:53 AM
Sure, drivers in B/CS can be impatient. Why? Because both Bryan and College Station have mismanaged traffic and traffic light control. I defy the writers castigating those who scoot through an intersection as the light turns red to say they haven't pushed it at a signal after they've had to stop three times in the previous 150 yards. If the cities really want to create a safe and effective traffic model, coordinate the traffic signals in town. Then, and only then, should red light cameras be used.

Posted by: pay attn. Location: brazos on Mar 29, 2008 at 11:42 AM
Now please take away the phones. Shut up and drive! ! Blow dry your hair and apply your makeup at home. Finally why do have to follow so close, BACK OFF !!!!!

Posted by: john Location: College Station on Mar 29, 2008 at 10:42 AM
If it follows the pattern everywhere else, this large revenue will only happen for the first 3 months or so, then then it'll dwindle away to almost nothing as all but the most impatient morons learn. And I too wish that the City of Bryan or TxDot would get on the ball and put them up at the left turn lanes on Briarcrest and the Bypass, because those folks are flat out blatant about it.

Posted by: see u Location: cs on Mar 29, 2008 at 08:38 AM
good for the cameras. raise the fine to $150.00, that will slow them stop this problem...

Posted by: Charles Ellis Location: College Station on Mar 29, 2008 at 08:16 AM
The media attention concerning the Red Light Cameras should not be on the revenue but on the changed behavior of impatient drivers in the Bryan / College Station / Brazos County area. The few seconds you might save running a Red Light on a late Yellow is not worth a life much less a trip to the hospital or auto body shop. When a driver sees a Yellow light, if he is far enough away to stop he should do so. The yellow light is a sign that the Red Light is not far behind.

Posted by: Susan Location: College Station on Mar 29, 2008 at 04:31 AM
These red light camera's are nothing more than a way for the city to generate revenue. These camera's are not about safety, its all about the money they generate for the City of College Station.

Posted by: BJ Location: College Station on Mar 29, 2008 at 03:20 AM
$153,000 in one month... it says they split that between the vendor, the trauma center, and the CITY. Since it doesn't specify how they split, lets assume its split equally 3 ways. That's $51,000 to the CITY. Next phase adds four more cameras on texas. That's a potential $100,000 PER MONTH that goes to the CITY OF COLLEGE STATION! I thought these cameras weren't supposed to produce revenue for the city... Why not divide by two, money pays the vendor and the rest goes to the trauma center or some other cause. I guess having the money go to the city makes me a lot more cautious about stopping completely at those intersections. Don't want the CITY getting any more more of my money than they already have. (To the people that will respond to this negatively, I am not a red light runner, I have not been issued a ticket for it, I'm just perturbed about a couple $75 unappealable parking tickets that also go to the CITY)

Posted by: Lou Location: Bryan on Mar 28, 2008 at 11:50 PM
At some point I hope our elected officials will wake up and realize that the loss of privacy has a cost worth considering.

Posted by: EJ Location: Bryan on Mar 28, 2008 at 11:22 PM
City of Bryan! Where are YOUR cameras?

Posted by: Bubba Location: Bryan on Mar 28, 2008 at 11:13 PM
I lived in Europe and those cameras are everywhere, I did not see near the number of accidents over in Europe as I have seen here.

Posted by: mrs.galvan Location: bryan on Mar 28, 2008 at 07:11 PM
GOOD I'M GLAD THE CAMERAS ARE ROLLING AND CATCHING THESE PEOLPE,BECAUSE IT'S CRAZY OUT THERE; MANY TIMES IV'E ALMOST GOTTEN HIT FOR THAT SAME REASON THAT PEOPLE ARE TOO IMPATIENT.THERE IN A HUIRRY TO GO NO WHERE. IT'S SAD AND DANGEROUS.. THANK GOD FOR THOSE CAMERAS,MAYBE PEOPLE WILL START DRIVING MORE CAREFUL..

KBTX.com Video Player
AP Video
Digital TV