title
CC - PUBLIC HEARING: Approval of a Five-Year Agreement with Redflex Traffic Systems, Inc., to Provide Automated Red Light Camera Enforcement Equipment and Services in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $4,554,000.
body
Meeting Date: March 18, 2019
Contact Person/Dept: Lieutenant William Browne/Police Department
Phone Number: (310) 253-6109
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [X] No []
Public Hearing: [X] Action Item: [] Attachments: [X]
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No []
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (03/13/19); Public Hearing Notice in Culver City News (03/07/19 and 03/14/19).
Department Approval: Scott Bixby, Police Chief (03/11/19)
_____________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council conduct a public hearing and approve a five-year agreement with Redflex Traffic Systems, Inc., in an amount not-to-exceed $4,554,000.
PROCEDURE:
1. Mayor seeks a motion to receive and file the affidavit for publishing a legal notice.
2. Mayor requests a brief staff report and City Council poses questions to staff as desired.
3. Mayor opens public hearing and invites public comments.
4. Mayor seeks a motion to close the public hearing.
5. Based on public comment and staff research, City Council discusses the proposed recommendation and arrives at its decision.
BACKGROUND
The City’s automated enforcement program, using red light cameras to capture violators as they drive their vehicles through an intersection after the traffic signal has turned red (“Automated Enforcement Program”), began in1998, with the first intersection at Washington Boulevard and La Cienega Boulevard. California Vehicle Code section 21455.5 authorizes governmental agencies to utilize automated enforcement equipment at intersections and other locations within a municipality, if certain conditions are met. The City’s Automated Enforcement Program is operated and managed by the Traffic Division of the Culver City Police Department (“CCPD”) and is currently in place at 12 intersections comprising 20 approaches.
During January 2019, a Request for Proposals (RFP) was published to solicit responses from qualified red light camera enforcement companies. The City received two proposals in response to the RFP. After meeting with the two companies, staff determined that Redflex Traffic Systems, Inc., would best meet the needs of the City’s Automated Enforcement Program, based on the quality of equipment, minimal, if any impact on traffic flow due to upgrades to the system, and lowest proposed cost. Redflex continues to provide excellent red light camera services and support to the City’s Automated Enforcement Program.
Pursuant to Vehicle Code Section 21455.6, the City is required to hold a public hearing before installing a red light camera system at an intersection and entering into a contract with a red light camera vendor.
DISCUSSION
Throughout the 21 years since the City’s Automated Enforcement Program began, CCPD has maintained administrative and enforcement competencies which have assured a high degree of effectiveness. Improving traffic safety has been a fundamental element of the City’s Automated Enforcement Program since its inception.
Culver City, like other Westside cities, has experienced rapid and significant increases in the number of vehicles that travel City streets. This includes those intersection approaches monitored by the Automated Enforcement Program. The resulting traffic volume induced congestion has highlighted the ongoing need to maintain efforts to help avert red light runners and potentially prevent traffic collisions.
CCPD staff believes the Automated Enforcement Program is successful at reducing the number of drivers running red lights and is a major factor in reducing accidents associated with running red lights. The benefit received by the community is rooted mostly in the prevention and reduction of injury related accidents.
Traffic Safety
Intersections throughout the City with photo enforcement equipment installed prior to 2017 have not experienced a significant increase in red light related traffic accidents. They have remained steady with a combined average of 0-4, total collisions for all photo enforced intersections.
The three newer intersections that were installed in March 2017, that include Washington Boulevard and Overland Avenue, Washington Boulevard and Sepulveda Boulevard, and Washington Boulevard and National Boulevard have either experienced a decrease in red light related traffic collisions or have remained unchanged.
From March 2016 to March 2017, Washington Boulevard and Overland Avenue, had two accidents that were red light related. Throughout 2018 the intersection experienced two collisions. For the same period, Washington Boulevard and Sepulveda Boulevard had three red light related accidents, but experienced none in 2018. At Washington Boulevard and National Boulevard, there were no accidents from March 2016 to March 2017 and no accidents throughout 2018.
In a 2018 study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), researchers found that red light running accidents caused 811 deaths in 2016. More than half of those killed were pedestrians, bicyclists, or occupants of vehicles struck by red light runners.
Red light cameras deter red light running and, although uniformed police officers help, there aren’t enough officers to post at every intersection where there is a camera installed. Red light cameras can help fill the void. Red light cameras are a countermeasure that increases public perception that there is a high likelihood of being held accountable for violating the law by running a red light.
An Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study comparing large cities with red light cameras to those without found the devices reduced the fatal red light running crash rate by 21 percent and the rate of all types of fatal crashes at signalized intersections by 14 percent.
Red Light Violations:
In March 2017 the three newest intersections (Washington Boulevard/Sepulveda Boulevard, Washington Boulevard/Overland Avenue, and Washington Boulevard/National Boulevard) were installed and operational.
During the time from March 1, 2017 through March 1, 2018, motorists committed the following number of red light violations:
Washington Boulevard/Sepulveda Boulevard: 3289
Washington Boulevard/Overland Avenue: 6896
Washington Boulevard/National Boulevard: 3654
Total Violations: 13,839.
During the time from March 1, 2018 through March 1, 2019, motorists committed the following red light violations:
Washington Boulevard/Sepulveda Boulevard: 2928
Washington Boulevard/Overland Avenue: 2671
Washington Boulevard/National Boulevard: 2373
Total Violations: 7,972.
Between the first and second years red light cameras were installed at these intersections, there was a 42 percent decrease in red light violations.
Shut Down/Dark Intersections:
For the time period of June 1, 2016 through November 30, 2016 the red light camera equipment at Washington Boulevard and Sawtelle Boulevard, Washington Boulevard and Helms Avenue and Washington Place and Centinela Avenue was still operational
During this time motorists committed the following number of red light violations:
Washington Boulevard/Sawtelle Boulevard: 2154
Washington Boulevard/Helms Avenue: 1811
Washington Place/Centinela Avenue: 672
During the same time period in 2017 and 2018, the red light camera equipment at these intersections was shut down/dark; however, the warning signs were still posted and the camera poles were still in place, and red light violations were only being counted.
During this time period in 2017, motorists committed the following number of red light violations, but did not receive citations:
Washington Boulevard/Sawtelle Boulevard: 2664
Washington Boulevard/Helms Avenue: 1860
Washington Place/Centinela Avenue: 561
During this time period in 2018, motorists committed the following number of red light violations, but did not receive citations:
Washington Boulevard/Sawtelle Boulevard: 3193
Washington Boulevard/Helms Avenue: 2514
Washington Place/Centinela Avenue: 795
During the time from 2016, when the equipment was live until 2018, when the equipment was shut down/dark, the intersections experienced the following increases in red light violations:
Washington Boulevard/Sawtelle Boulevard: 48.23%
Washington Boulevard/Helms Avenue: 38.82%
Washington Place/Centinela Avenue: 18.30%
CONCLUSION:
Based on the aforementioned information, staff believes it would be beneficial to the
community to continue utilizing photo enforcement equipment to enforce traffic
safety laws, deter motorists from running red lights, decrease traffic collisions, and maintain vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian safety at and around these intersections.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
Currently, the City Council Adopted Budget for Fiscal Year 2018/2019 includes $807,576 for the Automated Red Light Enforcement Contract. The proposed agreement of $910,800 per year will be effective August 29, 2019. The funding for this agreement will be requested during the FY 2019/2020 budget process. Funding for future fiscal years will be requested during the annual budget process.
ATTACHMENTS
1. 2019-03-18 - ATT Notice of Public Hearing
MOTION
That the City Council:
1. Approve a five-year agreement with Redflex Traffic Systems, Inc., to
provide photo enforcement services in an amount not-to-exceed $4,554,000; and
2. Authorize the City Attorney to review/prepare the necessary documents; and
3. Authorize the City Manager to execute such documents on behalf of the City.