The end is near for the flashing red light cameras throughout Pasadena over the past five years. After court challenges nixed red light cameras in Los Angeles, cost overruns in Pasadena's own red light program contributed to its demise, officials said. The city spent close to $350,000 to operate the red light camera program and hauled in about $340,000, which Pasadena split with the state. The program lost money and now Pasadena will terminate its contract with red light camera operator American Traffic Solutions.
Pasadena found itself saddled with a camera system that captured red-light runners, but a court reluctant to enforced the tickets. Since motorists received their tickets in the mail and didn't sign an agreement to appear in court at the time of the citation, they could not be bound to show up or pay the fine, the court decided. The Los Angeles Superior Court essentially said it was OK for drivers caught on camera to skip court dates.
