Map of the US National Highway System

Does a state, city or municipality have a the legal right to use a Federal highway for speed or red light cameras? If yes does the federal government share in the revenue generated from the cameras? What permits or permissions from what federal agencies are required?

Despite the Interstate or US highway label it is probably owned by the state or city and not the Federal government. In order to use the cameras the State legislature would have to enact legislation describing how and where photo enforcement could be used. Only rarely do these roads typically belong to the federal government and these roads are on military sites, national parks and perhaps Indian reservations.

State Map	Red Light Camera Fine $	Red Light Camera Points	Speed Camera Fine $	Speed Camera Points
Alabama	$50
Arizona	$180	no Points	$250-$250	2-3 Points
Arkansas	$50
California	$446	1 Point
Colorado	$90	4 Points	$40-80	4 Points
Delaware	$75-$230
District of Columbia	$75	2 Points	$75	2 Points
Florida	$75-$125
Georgia	$70	3 Points
Hawaii	$77
Illinois	$100	20 Points	$250 or 25	20 points
Indiana	$100
Iowa	$45-$150		$45-$150
Kansas	$100
Louisiana	$100-$140	No Points
Maryland	$100	2 Points	$40 - $1,000	No Points
Michigan	$100
Minnesota	$130
Mississippi	$100
Missouri	$100
Nevada	$600-$1,000	4 Points
New Jersey	$75	No Points
New Mexico	$70-$250		$70-$250
New York	$50-$100	3 Points
North Carolina	$75-$100	3 Points
Ohio	$100-$200		$100-$200
Oklahoma	$100
Oregon	$355		$355
Pennsylvania	$100	3 Points
Rhode Island	$85
South Dakota	$89	No Points
Tennessee	$50-$100		$50-$100
Texas	$75-$200	No Points	$75-$200
Virginia	$100 - $200	4 Points
Washington	$124		$124
West Virginia
Wisconsin	$75

Please make suggested updates of information in the comments section below.

Montebello deficit fueled by overtime costs and less revenue than expected from red-light cameras.  

Whittier Daily News By Thomas Himes, Staff Writer, Posted: 02/11/2010 07:00:49 PM PST

MONTEBELLO - Officials Thursday estimated the City's budget deficit at $3 million and outlined reasons for the short fall that range from red light cameras to overtime hours.  Over the past week, nine employees lost their jobs, dozens more took 5 percent pay reductions and several agreed to retirement, as officials worked to close the deficit.

"Unfortunately, this day has been coming for a long time," said retired city administrator Richard Torres. "I was hoping it could be avoided for at least another year."  Red light cameras fell about $500,000 short of the projected revenue they were expected to create.

"If the program does not result in a positive revenue my recommendation is that we end it, Narramore said."  The city paid consultants $55-per-hour to administer the red light camera program, according to city documents. "We incurred a lot more expenses and a lot less revenue than we thought we would from the cameras," City Councilman Robert Urteaga said. "People simply identified where the cameras are and stopped."

Mayor Bill Molinari said the cameras, which are located at six intersections, have increased public safety.
"The intersections where these cameras were installed had frequent collisions and a number of fatalities," Molinari said. Also, overtime hours the city paid to firefighters, exceeded estimates by about $500,000, Narramore said. "All overtime has been stopped, unless it's an emergency," Narramore said. "We're just not paying overtime for someone to come in and do something they can do the next day."  But, the state's Government Code mandates a minimum of four firefighters to a truck, Narramore said.  "If someone calls out sick, we have to pay some else time-and a half to come in," Narramore said.

Republican Scott Tucker, nominee for the 11th District's State House seat in Illinois, has made the red-light cameras a major issue in his campaign. He told The Expired Meter blog: "I think it's a quality of life issue... it's a tax presented as public safety. It takes money out of the citizens' pockets and puts it into the hands of wasteful government." Take a stand against the cameras at the corner of Addison and Western, from 12 to 3 p.m. on Sunday.  They've organized a Nationwide Campaign on Facebook to protest the cameras on Valentine's Day

If you have red light cameras in your city, make signs, gather near a red light camera, and protest! We can supply you with information to hand out to inform drivers of the top 15 reasons why they should be concerned about red light cameras and 5 ways to prevent red light running. Our other suggestion is that you hand out contact information for all your city council representatives, ask driver's to call them, and if you have a bill in your state banning red light cameras, add that information to a flier as well!!

If you decide to hold a protest, give us the location of your protest and we'll add it to the list below. Let's make our voices HEARD all throughout the country that we want to BAN THE CAMS!!!

LOW COUNTY RED LIGHT CAMERA PROTEST - SAVANNAH, GA
Date: Sunday, February 14, Noon
Location: Intersection of Derrene and Abercorn

KANSAS CITY RED LIGHT CAMERA PROTEST - KANSAS CITY, MO
Date: Sunday, February 14, Noon - 3pm
Location: 39th and Southwest Trafficway

COLUMBIA RED LIGHT CAMERA PROTEST - COLUMBIA, MO
Date: Sunday, February 14, Noon
Location: Intersection Broadway and Providence Road

AUSTIN RED LIGHT CAMERA PROTEST - AUSTIN, TX
Date: Sunday, February 14th, Noon
Location: TBA

SPRINGFIELD RED LIGHT CAMERA PROTEST - SPRINGFIELD, MO
Date: Sunday, February 14, Noon
Location: Intersection of Glenstone and Sunshine

SANTA MARIA RED LIGHT CAMERA PROTEST - Santa Maria, California
Date: Sunday, February 14, 2pm
Location: TBA

CHICAGO RED LIGHT CAMERA PROTEST - CHICAGO, IL
Date: Sunday, February 14th, Noon to 3 pm CT
Location: Intersection of Addison & Western

PHILADELPHIA RED LIGHT CAMERA PROTEST - PHILADELPHIA, PA
Date: Sunday, February 14, Noon
Location: S Broad St & S Penn Square

ST. LOUIS RED LIGHT CAMERA PROTEST - St. Louis, MO
Date: Sunday, February 14th, Noon to 3 pm CT
Location: Intersection of Clayton and Hanley Road

PHOENIX CAMERAFRAUD PROTEST, PHOENIX ARIZONA
Date: Sunday, February 14, Noon
Location: American Traffic Solutions HQ in Ahwatukee
9801 S 51st Phoenix, AZ 85044

The Arizona Republic, David Madrid - Feb. 10, 2010

To save money, the city is terminating its contract with Scottsdale-based American Traffic Solutions, which operates traffic-enforcement cameras. The two intersections with red-light cameras are at Dysart Road and Van Buren Street and at Dysart and McDowell roads. The city uses a photo-speed-enforcement van throughout the city.

The cameras began snapping red-light runners in February 2006. In June 2007, the city began a speed-enforcement-van trial, which led to the van contract.In February 2009, the council approved expanding the program to include two more photo-red-light intersections. All four intersections were to be modified to enforce both red-light and speed violations. The project was to be completed in March.  That isn't happening.

The camera program was popular with the council, but it costs $425,000. That includes contractor fees, officer overtime, a traffic program coordinator and court staff. By ending the program, the net savings to the city is $106,390. The council has always maintained that the cameras weren't there to raise revenue but for safety.

Police Chief Kevin Kotsur said there has been a drop in traffic accidents, but he believes the bad economy means fewer people driving. And the costs of the program are rising every year.  "Looking at the stats, there's no significant correlation between the number of accidents and the impact photo enforcement has been having on those wrecks," he said. "It's down all over the city. It's down all over the state."

The Daily News, Published February 10, 2010

League City, Texas — Access to detailed information about the effectiveness of the city’s red light camera program is being challenged by the RedFlex the company that operates the red light cameras in League City, Texas.  Citing copyright law, Redflex Traffic Systems, a Phoenix-based company, has appealed to the state attorney general The Daily News’ request for details about the program, including information about possible gaps in the cameras’ coverage.

The Daily News made a request Jan. 12 to the League City Police Department for the daily reports it received from Redflex of all red light camera citations issued from Oct. 1, 2009, through Jan. 9.  The Daily News requested the same information from League City’s government.  League City forwarded The Daily News’ request to Redflex. In a Feb. 2 letter, Redflex asked the Texas Attorney General’s Office to deny the request.

“The Requesting Party seeks confidential, proprietary and copyrighted information regarding Redflex and its business operations,” Redflex Associate General Counsel John M. Jacobs wrote. “As a result, such information is properly excepted under the laws of the State of Texas.” Attorneys for League City informed the attorney general’s office they would rely on Redflex’s decision because the city is unsure how to handle the request.  Joseph Larsen, a Houston-based attorney for the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, said copyright and state law do not preclude anybody from viewing the records Redflex is seeking to protect.
“You’re entitled to inspect them even if you can’t get copies of the records,” he said. “This is just typical obstruction you see from cities and vendors into any inquiries about red light camera programs,” Larsen said.

Two city council members said they were concerned about the company’s response to the request.  “I have several concerns with the red light cameras that are being used in League City, and this is indeed one of them,” Councilman Mike Lee said.  “I personally believe that all information related to city property is a public record,” Councilman Mick Phalen said. “Unfortunately, Redflex Systems disagrees and has not released them.”  League City officials were waiting Tuesday for Redflex to provide them with additional records on the city’s red light camera program. “Redflex informed us that they would supply us with a report by this afternoon. To our knowledge we have not yet received a report from Redflex,” Public Information Officer Kristi Wyatt said.

The city of Scottsdale, Arizona may take it a step further and is considering using its photo enforced cameras to enforce distracted driver laws. Photo enforcement cameras in Scottsdale are capable of detecting behavior such as text messaging or other “distracted driving” behavior, in addition to capturing speeders and red-light runners. But whether Scottsdale pursues such enforcement as part of a proposed text-messaging and distracted driving law remains to be seen. “We’re able to see people clearly on their cell phones,” said Josh Weiss, spokesman for American Traffic Solutions, the company that operates the fixed cameras and camera-equipped vans on Scottsdale surface streets.

On September 24th, 2008 the Governor of California , Arnold Schwarzenegger signed Senate Bill 28 (SB 28) in to law. The new bill “Prohibits a person from driving a motor vehicle while using an electronic wireless communications device to write, send, or read a text-based communication." The new bill will impose a fine of $20 for the first offense and $50 for subsequent offenses starting January 1, 2009. No violation points will be given as a result of the offense and there are exceptions for emergency personnel.

The bill requires motorists to use hands-free devices while talking on a mobile phone when driving a motor vehicle. California motorists using cell phones have been required to use hands-free devices since July, and drivers under age 18 can't use any electronic devices. Seven other states and the District of Columbia ban text-messaging or the use of hand-held phones while driving, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

A lawsuit filed by a rival accuses a leading speed enforcement company of competing illegally by using radar units that lacked required government certification, an issue the rival first raised during bidding for a major Arizona contract. The lawsuit alleged that Redflex competed for photo enforcement contracts and delivered radar units to service those contracts while knowingly lacking Federal Communications Commission certifications for several imported radar types. ATS said it was damaged by misrepresentations and unfair competition by Redflex through its use of uncertified radar that ATS said made Redflex ineligible for contracts in Arizona and other states.

The two companies were rivals for an Arizona contract awarded to Redflex for a speed enforcement program now being launched initially in the Phoenix area with mobile and fixed cameras. The mobile units use radar to trigger cameras. The fixed cameras use pavement-embedded senors.The lawsuit is the latest legal spat over the lucrative state contract which gives Redflex Traffic Systems up to $28.75 out of every $165 paid to the state for motorists caught speeding by any of the 100 fixed and mobile cameras being set up. The contract is believed worth about $20 million a year to Redflex.

Two related news articles . . .

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/130372

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/6420ap_az_photo_radar.html

Scottsdale, AZ based ATS is the largest independent, privately held company providing photo traffic enforcement services in North America. The company's 2007-08 quarterly compound revenue growth rate exceeded 80 percent. Photo traffic enforcement is now used in approximately 300 communities in 25 American states and the District of Columbia. ATS currently serves more than 125 municipalities in 18 states, the District of Columbia and the Province of Alberta, Canada. New York City, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Houston, Fort Worth, Phoenix, St. Louis, Seattle and San Diego are all ATS customers. ATS Traffic Solutions http://www.atsol.com largest competitor is Australia based Red Flex group http://www.redflex.com.

The six cameras along Scottsdale's 7.8-mile section of the Loop 101 Freeway will be activated at 12:01 a.m. Feb. 22. Under the program, motorists detected traveling 11 mph or more over the 65 mph posted speed limit will be cited for a speeding violation. Scottsdale will post warning signs along the freeway prior to the camera activation to ensure motorists are aware of the enforcement program. Scottsdale concluded a nine-month photo enforcement demonstration program along its section of the Loop 101 Freeway in October 2006. The speed limit on this stretch of the Loop 101 freeway is 65 mph, and the equipment has been set to photograph drivers when they are moving at 76 mph or faster.

$9.3M in speeding ticket revenue generated with 59,721 tickets at $157 each.
Scottsdale Arizona City Court statistics show 81 percent of speeding tickets generated by the cameras in a four-month period were for speeds of 76 to 79 mph. More than half of the 59,721 tickets were for either 76 or 77 mph. The six cameras on Loop 101 between Shea Boulevard and Scottsdale Road start snapping at 11 mph over the 65 mph posted speed limit. That’s where authorities draw the line. Fines that start at $157. Doing the math that is $9.3M in revnue

Drivers are flashed if they go 11 mph or more over the 65 mph speed limit. Only about 43 percent of drivers who trigger freeway speed-enforcement cameras have received speeding tickets. The Scottsdale loop 101 cameras have flashed a total of 124,809 drivers in the past five months, only 53,819 of which have been processed as citations in Scottsdale City Court. As many as 16,937 drivers have paid fines or attended defensive driving schools. Scottsdale collects $75 of every $120 or so paid to driving schools. More than half of the total camera flashes recorded at six locations between Scottsdale Road and Shea Boulevard, about 57 percent, have not been processed by Scottsdale City Court. The court receives as many as 825 photo enforcement citations every day, from both surface streets and the freeway, up from about 200 per day before the Loop 101 test.

Redflex is helping to dole out about 4,000 traffic citations per day, or just under 1.5 million per year. The company's cut per ticket varies by city, but in its hometown, Scottsdale, Redflex pockets about $40 from each $180 red-light fine on average. Redflex has 600 cameras in 87 cities in six states. Roughly 200 more will be installed this year. It has 60 cameras in Chicago. More than 40 percent of all traffic cameras installed in the U.S. are Redflex. Redflex had $26 million in revenue last year, has emerged as one of the fastest-growing companies within an industry whose growth potential it believes is staggering. The industry could some day become a $3 billion juggernaut, Redflex recently told analysts.

A Scottsdale man who has spent more than a year and thousands of dollars fighting his photo enforcement ticket said his next stop is the U.S. Supreme Court. David Cain estimated he has spent at least $20,000 fighting the ticket he received in December 2004, along with his Scottsdale attorney, Mark Jewett. The north Scottsdale investor said he was going 45 mph in a 45 mph zone at North Hayden Road and McCormick Parkway, not 57 mph as the ticket states. However, his legal argument has nothing to do with his speed. Cain contends Scottsdale’s photo enforcement illegally issued him the ticket because it wasn’t certified by a human. The photos also don’t clearly show the driver of the vehicle who is accused of speeding, Cain said.

Redflex - 1494 Cameras with $50M in Revenue 2008, Redflex Traffic Systems is the longest consistently-operating company in the photo enforcement industry. The company, with operations based in Arizona USA and Australia. http://www.redflex.com As the industry leader, Redflex has more contracts in more states than any other vendor. Public safety programs range from those in smaller cities with only a few camera installations to larger cities where red light or speed-enforcement cameras are employed at dozens of intersections. The REDFLEXred® and REDFLEXspeed® photo enforcement technology innovated at Redflex provide unsurpassed accuracy in reducing red light- and speed- related traffic collisions. Statistics in most Redflex-protected cities show significant reductions in most collisions, injuries and costs associated with unlawful driving.

ATS - 1000 Cameras with $40M in Revenue 2008. American Traffic Solutions, Inc. (ATS) is a leading provider of technology and business solutions for photo traffic safety and electronic toll enforcement programs worldwide. Our President and CEO, James Tuton, pioneered the automated photo traffic enforcement industry in the United States, with the first speed-camera program implemented in Paradise Valley, Arizona in 1987. The red-light camera industry followed nearly 10 years later. As the market has matured and grown, so has ATS. ATS has grown more than 500% since 2003 and is now the largest provider of traffic enforcement programs to America’s big cities including: New York City, New York; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Washington, D.C.; St. Louis and Kansas City, Missouri; San Diego, California; Seattle, Washington; Houston, Fort Worth, Irving and Arlington, Texas; New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and Phoenix, Tucson, Mesa, Glendale and Scottsdale, Arizona. ATS also provides Canada’s largest digital red-light camera and speed enforcement program in Calgary, Alberta. ATS serves more than 125 municipalities and government agencies (both large and small) with red-light and speed camera enforcement programs. We have installed nearly 1,000 cameras around the country, with hundreds more in various planning stages.

Nestor - 400 Cameras
ACS - 300 Cameras

RedSpeed - 300 Cameras
Laser Craft - 250 Cameras

Gatso - 250 Cameras and big in Europe

Traffipax -
Transol -
Peek Traffic -

The new contractor behind Annapolis, Maryland's five cameras is a for-profit company, the CEO of Scottsdale, Ariz.-based American Traffic Solutions said . . .
"If we don't show results, people won't contract with us," said Jim Tuton, whose company runs cameras in New York City, Philadelphia and Laurel. "It is very rare the cameras don't result in a rapid reduction in accidents." "Our technology is very advanced and catches more than the old system," said Mr. Tuton, predicting more tickets will be issued with the new cameras. He said unlike the old film cameras, the new digital cameras can monitor all travel lanes in a given direction, instead of just one, and offer higher resolutions. The new cameras also record video as well as two still photos, showing exactly what happened when the car ran the red light. That means people can't blame an ambulance or funeral procession for making them run the light unless that truly is the case.

Controversial speed cameras on Scottsdale's slice of Loop 101 are expected to face a crucial test on the House floor next week. The outcome of that vote could decide if cameras would be banned from all state freeways, including Loop 101, as early as Dec. 31. Scottsdale drew intense legislative scrutiny this year after it became the first city in the United States to install fixed cameras on a state highway. The cameras began flashing drivers Jan. 22, and the test program, designed to review driving habits, runs through Oct. 22. More than 180,000 motorists drive through Scottsdale's stretch of the 101 daily. From Jan. 22 through Wednesday, 24,853 drivers were flashed going 76 mph or faster. Scottsdale officials said they've seen photo enforcement work on city streets, but legislators have taken aim by introducing 13 bills targeting the program.

Scottsdale police promised Thursday that other 100 mph speeders photographed on Loop 101 will suffer legal problems. Police last month arrested two Valley residents; city officials have said both were caught by the automated system traveling at 110 mph. Last week cameras have snapped slightly more than 60 motorists speeding 100 mph or faster. 9,798 motorists have been clocked going 76 mph or faster, according to city records received from Redflex Traffic Systems Inc.