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City Flips Switch For New System

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By KLINT LOWRY

The Suncoast News

Published: December 31, 2008

PORT RICHEY - Sorry, traffic scofflaws, the camera watching the southbound lanes of U.S. 19 at Ridge Road for red-light runners isn't taking a holiday break as the city switches to a new operating company.

If things go as hoped, more lanes and more intersections in the city will get red-light camera coverage in 2009.

"Preliminary surveys have been done already," Police Chief David Brown said last week as city council voted to accept a bid from Traffipax Inc. The firm will take over as the city's red-light camera operator, replacing American Traffic Solutions.

In November 2007, the city entered into an agreement with ATS to install and operate red-light cameras at problem intersections in the city. First on the list was U.S. 19 at Ridge Road, statistically one of the most dangerous intersections in Pasco County.

The ATS system monitors the three southbound lanes of U.S. 19. It did not monitor the two left-turn lanes or the right-turn lane, and it checked only for red-light violators.

As of May 2, after a monthlong introductory period during which only warnings were issued to violators, police began issuing tickets with $125 fines based on the images of alleged violators ATS supplied.

For the Dec. 22 meeting, Brown printed out the statistics as of that day. In seven-plus months, there have been 1,969 citations for running red lights issued through the use of the camera. That's just from three lanes in one direction at one intersection, Brown said, adding that gives an indication of how big the problem of red-light running is.

"Is there a financial reward to that? Absolutely," Brown said of the extra traffic-fine revenue the camera produces. But, as he has maintained since the camera went up, the revenue the camera generates is secondary to its purpose of getting people to drive more responsibly.

Port Richey is not a red light-running "trap," Brown said. From the beginning, the city announced the camera's presence and observed the initial grace period.

"It's not a secret," Brown said of the use of the red-light monitor. "I wish I could put it up on billboards because then maybe it would make you a better driver. I don't want you to be looking for the cameras."

In August, ATS asked to be let out of the agreement to operate the cameras, and the city complied with the request. Both parties agreed not to publicly discuss the reasons behind the decision.

Brown called ATS "a good system, a good camera company."

When the city went looking for a company to operate the red-light enforcement system after scrapping the original ATS deal, ATS filed a bid to remain the city's camera operator. The only other bid came from Traffipax.

In part, the decision to go with Traffipax was based on city officials' desire to have red-light cameras monitoring all traffic lanes at U.S. 19 and Ridge Road and at other intersections, according to Councilman Steven O'Neill.

"In looking at growth and what we are looking to do - the kind of system we were looking at - we've turned a corner technology-wise," O'Neill said.

The laser-activated Traffipax system can simultaneously monitor through lanes and turn lanes, even when the red-light timing of those lanes is staggered. In addition, the technology captures better images, Brown said.

Based in Linthicum, Md., Traffipax is a subsidiary of Robot Visual Systems, a German security company that operates in 60 countries. One of the advantages of Traffipax is it has a branch office in Florida, Brown said, unlike Arizona-based ATS.

In addition to covering all 21 lanes of the U.S. 19-Ridge Road intersection, cameras will be installed at U.S. 19 and Grand Boulevard and other intersections in the city.

"We are looking at a substantial number of intersections and lanes that we will be monitoring with Traffipax," Brown said. Company representatives have been in contact with members of the business community to clear the way to setting up the additional roadside cameras, he said.

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