City Council Votes to Renew Red-light Camera Program

Napa's red-light cameras will continue in operation for another year.

On Tuesday night, the approved to renew its contract with Arizona-based Redflex Traffic Systems, Inc., which installs and maintains the cameras at four city intersections.

The council renewed the contract with amendments to remove the cost-neutrality clause that , and have the option to suspend the contract without penalty before the one-year contract expires.

The red-light cameras are located at the intersections of Highways 29 and 121, Trancas Street and Big Ranch Road, First and Jefferson Streets, and Imola and Soscol Avenues.

Violators are issued a $459 citation. Council member Juliana Inman said the fine is “too high.”

“Hardly anyone says they didn’t do it [run the red light], but they complain that the fine is too expensive,” Inman said.

State law prohibits the city from lowering the $459 fine. The $459 fine does not all go the city, whose portion is $155. The county gets $64 and $249 goes to the state.

Council members also amended the contract to eliminate the camera targeting  a rolling right turn on a red light on Highways 29 and 121.

The other camera that nabs right turners on a red light at Jefferson and First will stay in force, however citations will most likely issued for only the most egregious violators.

All of the council members agreed making a right turn without a full stop on a red light, although it is breaking the law, is not as much of a risk of serious collision as running through a red light.

Napa Police Capt. Jeff Troendly said about 92 percent of the violators caught by the red-light camera on Highways 29 and 121 are making a right turn.

“The collision impact is not as great as a vehicle blowing through a red light," Troendly said. "Right turns collisions usually are two vehicles that sideswipe each other. A straight-through a red light collision has a much greater chance of serious injury or a fatality.”

Since red light cameras first started in June 2009, 5,926 citations have been issued. If all the citations were paid in full, the city’s share is $444,819, the county’s $372,863 and a whopping $1,427,869 went to the state, Capt. Troendly said. “And we have paid $23,670 to Redflex,” he added.

Troendly said the program is not only cost effective, but has dramatically decreased the number of traffic collisions.

In 2009, there were 641 collisions. By 2010, the number dropped to 464. “People see the red light camera sign posted and slow down. The goal of the program is not to make a profit. It is to change motorist’s behavior and provide safety for our citizens,” Napa Police Chief Rich Melton said.

The cameras are tripped by the speed of the vehicle. Once in motion, the camera takes a 12 second video.

Melton said the money generated from the red light camera goes to pay costs. Anything left goes to informational programs to promote traffic safety. “Not a cent of it goes to the general fund,” he said.

Councilman Mark Van Gorder said by suspending the red light camera program, it would take money from traffic safety programs.

“I’m not interested in making money off the red light cameras,” he said. “I am more concerned in preventing accidents.”

Last month Napa County Superior Court Judge Diane Price ruled based on the neutrality clause, which has a provision for fines based on the number of citations. At that time police suspended the red light camera program.

With the city council’s decision to renew the Redflex contract, Capt. Troendly said the cameras will be working again as soon as the contract is signed.