Mar 13, 2024 - News
Raleigh ready to say goodbye to red-light cameras
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Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
Raleigh is set to end its red-light camera program in April, after city staff recommended against its contract renewal.
State of play: Raleigh currently has 25 intersections with red-light cameras.
- The city receives no money from the program, which began in 2003 and is run by Conduent State & Local Solutions Inc. Revenue generated by fines to drivers that run red lights can only go to cover the cost of operating the cameras.
- The city has one dedicated employee who handles customer service, contractural issues and reviews the more than 40,000 violations caught by the cameras every year.
The big picture: Red-light camera programs have been folding across the state of North Carolina in recent years, and have come under scrutiny from the state's General Assembly and from the courts.
- Programs in Charlotte, Cary and Greenville have all shuttered, in part because of lawsuits, according to a memo drafted by Raleigh's transportation department.
- Several draft bills in the state legislature have floated new regulations on how the programs operate.
What's next: The Raleigh's five-year contract with Conduent is set to expire on April 8.
- The city has already been preparing for life after red-light cameras and has been taking steps to improve the 25 intersections where red lights are frequently run and crashes often occur.
- For example, reflective back plates that surround traffic signals were installed late last year at those intersections to improve visibility of traffic signals.
What we're watching: The city also hired an engineering firm to review all 25 intersections to find additional opportunities to improve safety.
- The city is currently in conversations with the state's transportation department to find funding to install the improvements, according to the memo.