Friday, Jul. 11, 2008

Red-light Cameras Get Thumbs Up

By A. Lee Graham

Staff Writer

5Roanoke has taken the latest step in preparing area roadways for video surveillance.

By unanimous vote, the City Council this week amended city guidelines to reflect installation of cameras set to catch red-light runners.

"We’re getting pretty close," said City Manager Jimmy Stathatos, anticipating installation of the devices in late summer or early fall.

This week’s council decision meets new state guidelines regarding the installation, operation and maintenance of red-light cameras. Because State Highway 114 passes through town, officials needed to amend municipal maintenance rules overseeing those arteries.

The move follows last year’s council decision to study key intersections and follow Southlake’s decision to pursue a contract with Redflex Traffic Systems Inc. For Roanoke, the contract included evaluating each intersection and railroad crossing to determine if numbers of violations warranted red-light cameras at each location. When operational, the cameras will record each violation digitally.

Motorists are forewarned that each intersection violation will cost $75, or $150 for each rail crossing violation.

In other business, Kristie Womack, Randy Corn, Kirby Smith and Samuel Granados were reappointed to the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission. Corn, a councilman from 1995 to 1999 and mayor from 1999 to 2005, currently serves as commission chairman with Womack serving as vice chairwoman and Smith and Granados serving as commissioners.