Red Light Camera Could Save Town, Taxpayers $1.1 Million

According to a study, the red-light camera at the intersection of Hamburg Turnpike and Black Oak Ridge Road could save the township and taxpayers more than $1.1 million between now and 2015, an average savings of $231,000 annually.

American Traffic Solutions (ATS) commissioned a cost-savings study of red light safety cameras in 25,000 municipalities in the United States, including Wayne.

The study factored the amount of money saved by preventing motor vehicle crashes and the reassigning of law enforcement officials to other assignments and dangerous intersections.

ATS calculated part of the savings by applying the total costs throughout an accident victim’s lifetime and the number of expected crash reductions from the camera.

According to the U.S. Federal Highway Administration, an average of 885 people died and another 165,000 were injured in red-light running collisions annually between 2000 and 2009.

The camera last year. Since that time it has in violations at the intersection.

temporarily for drivers who run red lights at the intersection earlier this year. Authorities need to determine if yellow lights at the intersection are being displayed for the proper length of time.

The camera remains operational and police are collecting violators’ information, but no summonses are being issued.

Summonses will be sent out once the light is tested and certified to be compliant by the state Department of Transportation (DOT).

Police Chief John Reardon said that the light complies to all of the DOT's operational standards.

"We're just waiting for the go ahead to start issuing summonses again," Reardon said.

Reardon said the target date to begin issusing summonses again is in early August. 

— Have a question or news tip? Contact editor Daniel Hubbard at Daniel.Hubbard@patch.com or find us on Facebook and Twitter. For news straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.