Red-light cameras to once again click in Raleigh

Two weeks after the Raleigh City Council voted to shut down red-light cameras in the city, the council reversed itself Tuesday.

Posted 8:58 p.m. Oct 4, 2011 — Updated 9:45 p.m. Oct 4, 2011

RALEIGH, N.C. — Two weeks after the Raleigh City Council voted to shut down red-light cameras in the city, the council reversed itself Tuesday.

The council voted 5-2 to renew Raleigh's contract with ACS Xerox for its SafeLight Program, which operates cameras at 15 Raleigh intersections. The devices record vehicles that enter an intersection after a traffic light turns red, and citations are then sent to the vehicle's registered owner.

The previous vote meant the cameras were turned off last Friday, when the previous contract expired.

Councilman Eugene Weeks previously voted against the SafeLight Program. He said he never meant to kill the program, which needed five votes for renewal, and was only concerned that some cameras had been moved from his district.

City traffic engineers met with Weeks to explain why cameras were moved. Once his concerns were addressed, he brought the contract renewal with ACS Xerox up for another vote Tuesday and provided the needed fifth vote for approval.

City Manager Russell Allen said he expects the cameras to be back on within a few weeks.

The city doesn’t pay for the program, and the $50 fines collected benefit the Wake County Public School System.

Suggest A Correction