WINCHESTER — Drivers might soon pay the price for running red lights if Frederick County officials decide to install surveillance cameras at major intersections in the area.
Members of the county's transportation committee discussed the possibility of installing red light cameras during their meeting Monday morning.
"We're facing increasing traffic. ... Couple that with the fact that we're in a budget crisis. The [Frederick County] Sheriff's [Office] is having a hard time adding deputies because of budget restrictions and things like that," said John Bishop, the county's deputy director of transportation. "If there's another tool out there that helps us do [traffic] enforcement and increase safety, we're just trying to make sure we look at it."
Among areas that county officials recently recommended as prime locations where red light cameras are most needed are the intersection of U.S. 17-50, U.S. 522 and Interstate 81, the Va. 7 (Berryville Pike) interchange with I-81, Senseny Road and Greenwood Road, and U.S. 522 at the Va. 37 ramps. However, that list isn't final, and could be open to additions, Bishop said.
Bishop said he wants to meet with representatives of the Frederick County Sheriff's Office and state police in coming weeks to get more feedback on potential areas of the county where cameras can be placed before bringing the proposal back to the transportation committee for its consideration.
Cost estimates involved with installing cameras in the county have not yet been determined.
"We really haven't gotten to that part of the process yet," Bishop said.
The 2007 Virginia General Assembly enacted legislation allowing localities to use red light camera enforcement at their discretion.
The legislation allows localities, by ordinance, to install cameras at no more than one intersection for every 10,000 residents. It also requires a minimum 0.5-second grace period between the time the traffic signal turns red and the first violation is recorded by cameras.
Nationwide, more than 800 people are killed and over 200,000 are injured annually in crashes caused by running red lights, according to the Virginia Transportation Research Council.
A recent study by the council showed that cameras reduced crashes caused by drivers running red lights by about 42 percent, though the report also indicates that camera enforcement may likely result in increased rear-end crashes.
The study was based on data reflecting over 3,500 crashes during a seven-year period at 28 intersections with cameras and 44 intersections without them in Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Fairfax County, Falls Church and Vienna.
Before red light cameras can be installed at an intersection, localities must complete an engineering safety analysis that takes into account the accident rate and difficulty experienced by law enforcement officers in apprehending violators at the location.
Officials also must submit a list of potential intersections to the Virginia Department of Transportation for its approval.
Localities must place "conspicuous signs" informing motorists of the enforcement effort within 500 feet of the intersection approach at which a red light camera is installed, according to engineering safety analysis guidelines provided by VDOT.
More than 100 communities nationwide have installed red light cameras over the past decade, according to documents provided by Bishop on Monday.
* Contact Linwood Outlaw III at loutlaw@nvdaily.com
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