The Oak Ridge City Council on Monday will consider extending or ending the traffic camera contract.
The Oak Ridge City Council on Monday will consider extending a controversial traffic camera contract for two years, or ending it.
The Council postponed a vote earlier this month. It will now be considered during a special 7 p.m. meeting on Monday.
The current five-year contract with Redflex Traffic Systems Inc. of Arizona expires April 21. If it’s not extended, the city staff has asked Council to consider installing a traffic signal in front of the Oak Ridge High School on Oak Ridge Turnpike.
The high school stoplight would have to be approved by the Tennessee Department of Transportation. It could cost $150,000 to $200,000 and take nine months to install.
Before postponing the traffic camera vote earlier this month, the City Council agreed to consider some changes to the contract, including new camera locations, a renegotiation of the revenue split between the city and Redflex, and discussion of mobile units.
Under changes to state law, a city-funded traffic study will have to be performed before new camera locations can be considered.
There are four traffic camera systems in Oak Ridge now. Two issue $50 citations to drivers who speed or run red lights. They are installed at Oak Ridge Turnpike and Lafayette Drive/New York Avenue, and Robertsville Road and North Illinois Avenue.
The other two systems issue citations only for speeding. They are installed in front of Oak Ridge High School on Oak Ridge Turnpike, and on Robertsville Road near Willow Brook Elementary School and Robertsville Middle School.
The Monday night special meeting is in the Oak Ridge Municipal Building Courtroom.
More information will be added as it becomes available.
See the special meeting agenda here. The agenda packet also includes information on the camera program’s proceeds and expenditures.
Harry Pruitt says
I am hopeful that Baughn, Garland, Hope and Mosby will restore good sense to this issue and vote to terminate the RedFlex contract. The new Kroger Complex will open soon and Oak Ridge will live or die on increasing the sales tax. Who wants to shop there with a speed trap at both approaches? Out with the cameras!!
Philip W Nipper says
I too hope that common and good sense prevails and that the cameras remain. In fact, my hope would be that additional cameras be installed at every school zone for all of our schools.
Kay Williamson says
what’s wrong with real police officers riding around our school zones… do you think those camera’s really help, Are they going to stop someone with a gun, are they going to stop a car that is hell bent on speeding, are they going to stop someone from selling drugs on OR near school campuses.. I DON’T THINK SO…
Philip W Nipper says
What’s wrong with having BOTH?
Kay Williamson says
they are for safety,, HOW do you consider them for safety, you think criminals give a crap about speeding,, and the fact that they are not even enforceable,,
Tom Clark says
Strange how the first intersection one comes to from both the Kroger on Cedar Bluff and the Kroger in Farragut, as well as the Publix on Campbell Station have traffic cameras, seemingly without any impact on their business. Then there is the increased sales tax from the newly opened businesses in Oak Ridge like Aubrey’s, Aldi’s, Bojangles, McAllisters, Ole Ben Franklin Motors, and the Holiday Inn, all who have opened while the cameras have been installed. And then there is the fact that sales tax collection have not decreased since the cameras have been instaled. Seems lots of people want to shop in Oak Ridge in spite of the cameras. Aren’t you the least bit ashamed of spreading untrue statements? Of course you aren’t.
Kay Williamson says
that’s because people like let EVERYONE KNOW to come on back to OAK RIDGE and if you do get a ticket simply throw it away because it not worth the paper it is printed on!! THAT IS A FACT FRIEND..
Jeanne Hicks Powers says
Tom,Most if not all of the businesses you mention are not anywhere near the cameras in OR! Are you really comparing shopping at Turkey Creek to TRYING to shop in OR? The people left to shop outside of OR years ago… way before the cameras arrived. There’s not much real shopping to do here (OR).
Kay Williamson says
People say that the camera provide much need revenue to the city. If they collect 6.5 million from the area, oliver springs, oak ridges, clinton, etc. and they reward our city 2.5 million. That leaves 4 that leaves these including our community NEVER to be seen again EVER. Over years how many times would that same 4 million dollar be spent and redistributed to our community and continue forever, but if you take it complete out of the entire community you get NOTHING, THE LOSERS ARE US…