May 16--The red-light traffic cameras are coming down in Yuba City.
At month's end, the three cameras in city limits will cease operating, after the Yuba City City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to let its contract with Redflex expire. The decision stemmed from mounting debt the city was incurring with the Arizona-based contractor and a determination the enforcement has served its intended purpose.
"From a financial standpoint, it's in the best interest of the city, especially in this downturn time," said Mayor John Miller. "They've done their duty."
The cameras were never intended to be a revenue-generator for the city, Miller said, and they were not generating enough revenue to compensate for their operational cost.
Yuba City's monthly cost from Redflex was $18,576 for its two camera systems at Garden Highway and Lincoln Road and one at Gray Avenue and Bridge Street. Revenues depend on the number of violators and judicial outcomes, but averaged $8,440 per month. That leaves the city with more than $10,000 in monthly costs. Yuba City has not paid a full invoice to Redflex since April 2008, and as of March, owed the contractor $472,264.76.
The contract with Redflex is cost-neutral, so the city only pays the revenue it brings in. Any revenue collected from camera tickets issued until May 31 will be paid to Redflex for one year to allow for the cases to be adjudicated, and then the contractor will absorb any remaining balance held by the city.
Ending the Redflex contract will save the city about $1,140 a month in administrative costs.
"We feel they've done their job and we can better allocate our resources elsewhere," said Michael Green, a traffic sergeant with Yuba City Police Department.
Yuba City has used Redflex for automated traffic enforcement since 2006, and according to police, red-light violations have dropped significantly since the cameras' installation, ranging from 39 percent to 84 percent at the three locations.
Crashes have also diminished, with not a single crash at Gray and Bridge since installation, compared to nine in the five previous years.
"Public safety is our most important mission," Green said, noting that the hope is the decrease in crashes and violations will be an ongoing trend.
If the cameras are needed again, the city could consider using the Redflex services again, Miller said.
A red-light ticket issued in Yuba City with the Redflex cameras costs a driver $449, which includes a base fine for the infraction, additional penalties and administrative fines and fees that go to the city, county and state.
Marysville, which also uses Redflex enforcement, has said its cameras pay for themselves and recently installed a fourth camera at Ramirez and 10th streets. Its tickets cost drivers $500.
CONTACT Ashley Gebb at [email protected] or 749-4783.Find her on Facebook at /ADagebb or on Twitter at @ADagebb.
Copyright 2012 - Appeal-Democrat, Marysville, Calif.
