It is quite clear that there are significant issues with the red light camera at Avondale and Union Hill Road.
Yet the city web site states that “occasionally” the light will flash when a car moves to the junction. And that “any” excess funds will go to safety causes. There will certainly be plenty of excess funds, and the safety causes will be funded very well. Meaning of course, that the city can use funds they were going to use for safety for other functions.
FACT: It is almost impossible to do a right on red from State Route 520 onto Union Hill Rd without triggering the camera. RESULT: People have already realized this, and the result is that people are sitting there rather than making the turn. I have done this several times (after getting “flashed” the first time) and have had folks behind honking at me. Congratulations to the City of Redmond in causing additional congestion.
FACT: Even if you drive up to the line and STOP before heading into the right lane from Union Hill Road to Avondale, the camera will photograph you. This is repetitive, frequent and wrong. Hopefully you cannot get a ticket if your car is shown to be before the line.
FACT: The camera coming from SR 520 into the junction regularly takes photos when the light is still YELLOW. That is not illegal. Hopefully the photo will show the light color as well as the vehicle.
So, why do we have this? Having lived down Union Hill Road for two years, and crossing that junction twice a day or more, I have yet to see an accident. I would like to see the statistics on why this junction was chosen. Is it due to it having (a) the highest accident rate in the city, or (b) being the busiest junction in the city at the end of a freeway? Your guess is, I am sure, the same as mine. The claim is safety, the fact is revenue.
How much revenue? Well, on average the camera takes approximately four pictures on each change of the lights. Figure approximately a sequence takes three minutes, that would mean 20 changes per hour. Presume heavy traffic and therefore the same rate from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., or 13 hours. I will assume no tickets overnight. That gives us 13 hours of 20 changes at four tickets per change, or approximately 1,040 tickets per day. The city is saying the fine is $124 dollars. That looks like a rather healthy little add-in to the budget! And how long before they decide that it is more than just “safety” causes that need funding.
I do have one suggestion for the city – if their goal is TRULY safety, then by all means install the cameras. Remove ANY suggestion of impropriety by ensuring that any surplus funds are donated to charity, and remove the city from any part in that process. In fact, let the person fined nominate from a list of charitable causes. That way we can be sure that we are doing this for the right reasons, and in the meantime we are properly helping those who need help.
Anyone think that will happen? I think not.
Simon Puttick, Redmond