LACEY – The City of Lacey expects to collect $100,000 less from its red-light cameras next year because fewer drivers have been cited for running the intersection at Pacific Avenue and Sleater-Kinney Road.
The number of citations has decreased by two-thirds since 2009, with 1,418 issued this year, according to police records. Those numbers, coupled with a decrease in collisions, show the cameras are working, said city manager Scott Spence.
“Three years into program, it seems to have positive results,” he said.
The program is self-sustained by citations, so a lower revenue stream doesn’t mean the city will have to fork out additional funds, Spence said.
The $250,000 in revenue this year comes after the city paid up to $110,400 to American Traffic Solutions of Scottsdale, Ariz., the maximum ATS can collect, according to Spence. The city has a neutral-cost contract with the provider, meaning that if citations decrease to $80,000, the city would pay that amount to ATS and collect no revenue.
Police officials don’t expect the number of red-light runners to continue to decline.
“I think we’ve probably seen it as far as it will go down,” said Chief Dusty Pierpoint. “The red-light cameras are just another thing to help. They are not the solution, but they are a tool to try to reduce risk.”
Initiatives regarding red-light cameras got a thumbs-down from voters in three Washington cities this week, adding fuel to the discussion of the controversial cameras.
Spence said he was unaware of the particulars of each situation, but added that Lacey’s decision to use cameras came from public concern.
“It’s been a public-safety project from the beginning,” Spence said.
The city’s contract with the ATS is up for renewal in August, and the police department likely won’t push for new camera locations.
The department surveyed the intersection at Martin Way and Marvin Road in May, and there weren’t enough violations to require cameras, said Cmdr. Chris Ward, who manages the city’s camera program.
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