This letter was received in response to a story we posted on Waynesboro receiving a Automated Red Light Enforcement Grant. Read that story here.
While ARLE grant projects can be worthwhile, no municipality should accept the money, since it came from red-light cameras(which should be banned in PA.) If we had best-practice engineering and enforcement, then practically nobody would ever “run” a light. Most people do not “run” a light on purpose. Taking money from these grants sends the message that all this is OK. Please note that the Philly Inquirer ran a story in 2017 saying that some of these cams had accuracy rates of 3%.
It was reported multiple times that crashes went UP in Philly at red-light camera intersections.
Nationwide, yellows may be too short; people can be cited a split-second after the lights change, for stopping over the stop line, or a non-complete stop for a right-on-red turn. Who can defend this setup?
All you need are speed limits set to the 85th percentile free-flowing traffic speed, longer yellows, decent length all-red intervals, and sensors to keep an all-red if someone enters late. No crashes! Can also sync lights and use sensors to change them and know where cars are. After simple changes are made, only egregious violators should ever be cited.
James Sikorski Jr.PA Advocate National Motorists Association
