[Press Release] : Starting Sept. 4: ‘Respect the Red,’ or expect a ticket

[Press Releases]

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
Contact: Mayor Darwin Hindman - (573) 449-5227, (573) 864-7894, (573)
874-7222; or Assistant City Manager Tony St. Romaine - (573) 874-7721;
or Communications Director Toni Messina - (573) 874-7660

Starting Sept. 4: ‘Respect the Red,’ or expect a ticket

COLUMBIA, MO (August 27, 2009) - After 30 days of operation and
warnings to red light runners at two major intersections, the city of
Columbia will start enforcing violations with traffic tickets on Sept.
4. Cameras are positioned in the northbound lanes at the intersections
of Providence Road at Broadway and at Stadium Boulevard and Worley
Street. 

A public event is set for 8:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 4, to raise awareness
of active enforcement. Invited speakers include Columbia Mayor Darwin
Hindman; Missouri Department of Transportation Director Pete Rahn;
Columbia Police Chief Ken Burton; and Andrew Noble, president of Gatso,
USA, the company that manufactures and installs the camera system.

The event will be held at the parking lot in the northeast corner of
the Providence Road and Broadway intersection.

“Our first weeks of operating the red light cameras have been very
eye-opening,” said Mayor Darwin Hindman. “So far, 137 warning
notices have been issued to drivers running red lights at both
intersections. It just underlines the problem we have in Columbia.
We’re hopeful that drivers will start paying more attention, now
that tickets are being issued to violators.”

Assistant City Manager Tony St. Romaine confirmed that violations
appear to be increasing, possibly associated with Columbia’s returning
student population. “On August 7, six red light runners were captured
on video. That’s for both camera-enforced intersections. From August
20-23, the cameras captured 60 violators at both intersections,” St.
Romaine said.

Gatso USA is evaluating more intersections for the next camera
placements. The city expects to install a total of 16 cameras in the
coming months.

The city’s public education campaign started in early August and will
continue 30 days after enforcement starts, according to St. Romaine.
“We want the public to be fully aware that cameras are in use.
Great coverage by local news media, combined with paid ads and messages
issued through other outlets, has kept this issue on people’s
minds.”

A red light runner faces a $120 fine if the violation does not involve
an accident, the driver pleads guilty and pays the fine through the
city’s Traffic Violations Bureau. Otherwise, the Municipal Court may
punish a red light violation by a fine from $1 - $500; by up to three
months’ imprisonment; or by a fine and imprisonment. The penalty
applies whether the violation is identified at a camera-enforced
intersection or by a Columbia police officer at the scene.

For more information, visit www.GoColumbiaMo.com and click on the
“Respect the Red” logo.

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