Milbrae red light tickets jump again

Despite the spike in tickets wildly unpopular with many drivers, Councilman Wayne Lee said he would not support removing the cameras as he believes they are a valuable asset to maintaining order on the road.

Lee attributes the uptick to more motorists on the road who are willing to engage in risky behavior behind the wheel.

“People are running more red lights because they are not being safe,” he said. “I don’t think it is fair if someone loses their life for someone else’s convenience.”

But Lissner, who tracks similar camera systems across the state, said he believes the jump in tickets can be attributed to a mandated adjustment increasing the sensitivity of the cameras.

“They are tweaking the cameras because they are evil,” he said.

The cameras have photographed 34,687 drivers this year who may have violated traffic laws at a stop light, according to the website, resulting in 13,607 tickets issued through September. Lissner projects more than 20,000 tickets will be issued before the end of the year. The amount issued this year is already more than the 11,964 issued last year, which was the previous record high. Some of the tickets can be as expensive as $500.

With the jump, Lissner said he believes Millbrae has one of the most active traffic camera systems in the state.

Additionally, Lissner said he believes the heightened camera sensitivity will result in even more tickets, ultimately leading to more revenue for the city. Lee disputes such allegations though, and said the city only make enough money off the cameras to keep the system running.

“We don’t make money off of the traffic cameras,” he said. “We just make enough money to pay back the contractors.”

Last year, the City Council approved extending a $1.1 million contract with American Traffic Solutions to keep the camera system in place through 2018. The fees for processing potential violations cost an additional $62,700 last year, which was covered by the amount of fines collected. The San Mateo Police Department operates and monitors the cameras in Millbrae.

Lee said he believes the camera system is a good way to assure drivers adhere to traffic laws without needing to post a law enforcement officer at busy intersections, especially near the city’s Bay Area Rapid Transit Station. The San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office provides law enforcement services to Millbrae.

Lee attributed the jump in tickets to increased economic activity in Millbrae, as officials have dedicated effort in recent months to improving the city’s downtown.

Ultimately, Lee said he does not always agree with the tickets issued by the cameras, but believes they are necessary.

“I don’t like them either, but I think they are serving their purpose in a cost-effective way,” he said.

Alternatively, Lissner said there is little evidence to show the cameras have actually made Millbrae a more safe place to drive, as crashes in the corridor between El Camino Real and Highway 101 where a majority of the cameras are posted began to decrease years before the system was installed.

Yet despite the opposition, Lee ultimately said he believes the cameras should stay in place as they make Millbrae streets safer for drivers and pedestrians. He noted the tickets are relatively easy to avoid for those who strictly abide by traffic laws.

“If you use caution, you aren’t going to get a ticket,” he said.

austin@smdailyjournal.com

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