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Aurora leaders agree to keep red light cameras

Posted at 11:37 PM, Mar 16, 2016
and last updated 2016-03-17 01:37:52-04

As state legislators consider banning red light cameras on state roads, Aurora city leaders voted to keep theirs and consider adding even more.

Earlier this week, in a 6-majority vote, city council members approved extending their contract with Xerox to continue their red light camera service through next summer.

They also approved to use some of the funds from the camera enforcement for Aurora police to conduct a study on what they consider to be the six most dangerous intersections in the city.

The list include Mississippi Avenue and Sable Boulevard where within the last five years there have been 28 accidents that have resulted in injury. 

“None of them were our photo radar intersections,” said Lt. Michael McClelland, who spoke before city council members at the meeting on Monday night.

He said the study will determine whether they should add more cameras at those intersections, or move cameras there from other intersections that have little to no reports of accidents.

Some $12,000 from the program’s revenue will be used for the study, while Xerox has agreed to pay for the other half of the $24,000 total cost.

The city report shows the red light program brought in $3.3 million last year.

McClelland said around $1 million was used toward law related programs like DARE and victim’s assistance. Another $1 million was used to pay for the service provided by Xerox. The remaining funds were used to run the program.

Officials said the study could begin as early as this year.

City council members would have to decide whether to add any more cameras if the study’s result suggest a correlation between accidents and drivers running red lights. 

“I would hope it would have some kind of effect on the way people drive,” said McClelland, “definitely make them drive better. “ 

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