New numbers show that the controversial red light cameras in Albemarle County are keeping drivers safe. Those same numbers also reveal that the project is a cash cow for a county strapped for dough.
Police and county supervisors point out the cameras are to make the intersection of Rio Road and Route 29 safe. That's priority one, but the extra $82,000 - to date - is pretty nice as well.
With each light change, Albemarle is keeping an eye on drivers passing through its busiest intersection. And when the cameras go off, the county racks in some major cash.
Albemarle County Supervisor Ken Boyd stated, "The fact that we have additional money will help out in these economic times, but it wasn't designed as a money raiser from the beginning. It was really a safety issue."
From December 2010 through October of this year, a series of red light cameras at the intersection of Route 29 and Rio Road has brought in more than $273,000. Take out the $9,400 monthly rental fee for the system and the county nets almost $83,000. The year prior, officers were only able to give out 16 tickets.
Sgt. Darrell Byers with the Albemarle County Police Department said, "It's much safer for the officers not having to get out in that four lane traffic, five lane traffic there."
There's also that safety aspect. Police say they've actually seen the number of accidents drop at the intersection, and the rear-end collision fear didn't come to fruition.
"What we've been able to see is a reduction particularly in the southbound side in traffic crashes by four," stated Byers.
Inside the police department, two county traffic officers have to review each violation after they are sent from the red light camera company. More than 4,000 have been rejected between the officers and Redflex.
Byers said, "It's working very well for us but it's labor intensive as well."
The board of supervisors will get an update on all the numbers from the program at a meeting in January. Then the board will decide if the county will continue to participate in the program.
