WeHo Is Installing New Red-Light Cameras at Four Intersections Thu, Mar 09, 2017 By wehoville.com Staff 20 Comments red light camera, stop light If you run a red light at one of four major intersections in the City of West Hollywood, WeHo’s digital paparazzi will be tracking you. The city announced today that it will install new red-light photo enforcement technology at four current photo-enforced intersections. The new digital cameras, which are capable of documenting vehicles that run red lights from the front and the rear with video and still photos, are replacing the previously installed film-based cameras that only took photos of the front of vehicles. The city will begin a 30-day warning period for red light photo enforcement — from this coming Monday through April 11. During that time, warning notices will be mailed to registered owners of vehicles who were photographed committing red-light violations. After the 30-day warning period passes, notices of violation will be issued by the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department. People who receive citations will be able to view photos and video of the violation on a password-protected site. Red-light enforcement will be conducted at eight intersection approaches (two approaches on each of four intersections), which have a history of red-light-based violations. Every intersection approach monitored by cameras is marked with a sign, notifying approaching traffic that the intersection is being monitored. The four intersections are: • Beverly Boulevard at Robertson Boulevard, eastbound and westbound; • La Brea Avenue at Fountain Avenue, northbound and southbound; • Santa Monica Boulevard at La Brea Avenue, northbound and eastbound; and • La Cienega Boulevard at Melrose Avenue, northbound and southbound. The city previously used red-light photo enforcement cameras at 24 intersection approaches at eight intersections. In combination with upgrades to signal timing and enhancements to roadway markings, the program led to a successful reduction in accidents and violations. Traffic engineering analysis determined the other 16 intersection approaches no longer exhibit high instances of red light violations. 20 Comments FranczThu, Mar 09, 2017 at 5:56 pm Red Light cameras don’t work. They do bit make an intersection safe nor reduce collisions. We already have studies after studies saying this. Why are they insistent on installing these? Woody McBreairtyThu, Mar 09, 2017 at 7:15 pm It’s a shame they’re not putting a camera at Santa Monica & La Cienega. It’s a red light running marathon. You take your life in your hands by crossing the street. And virtually no one stops at the red right turn on arrow only to proceed west on Santa Monica from southbound La Cienega. Very dangerous . Jimmy PalmieriThu, Mar 09, 2017 at 8:33 pm I agree with Woody…..that is an extremely dicey intersection to cross. Creative OneFri, Mar 10, 2017 at 6:47 am Francz is correct. Numerous studies show the cameras don’t work. Other than around rapid transit intersections, the city of LA removed them a few years ago after the courts threw out hundreds of “convictions”. Jim C.Fri, Mar 10, 2017 at 8:15 am I agree that some intersections need improvement – but RED LIGHT CAMERAS???. Study after study had revealed that the only improvement these yield is that they dramatically raise the per-ticket income of cities who install them. I was in the hospital when someone whose face was blocked by the sun visor in my old vehicle was using my car (without permission)and ran a light. I had to go to court to get that thrown out – and did, but the cameras didn’t identify the culprit, and surprise surprise, none of the people who had access to my car keys knew anything about how that could have happened. Hmmmmm. I realize that the city needs to increase it’s traffic violation income(not), but how about enforcing the ‘no cell phone use, no texting laws that have gone uninforced(sp?). Then there are those useless signs in the middle of traffic that are regularly run down and at times purposely so, that frequently lean into the lane of traffic causing this driver some pretty deep gouges in my paint? I was at a red light next to a sheriff’s SUV and asked them about those signs as we had just both avoided hitting one. His reply, echoed by his partner was.’We aren’t responsible for those gems(sarcasm here) – the city has some crazy idea that they help, at which point both he and his partner laughed. The light then turned green. GranyFri, Mar 10, 2017 at 10:18 am This is desperate old hag queen town—they will do anything to fund their bad taste and art with parking meters and now signals. So sad, and the city council is fun of thieves and felons Henry WillsonFri, Mar 10, 2017 at 11:46 am You can ignore these tickets! Sometimes one part of government disagrees with another. Here in LA County we have 8 cities issuing red light camera tickets, and the fine is $500.00. Fortunately, the adjudicating court is run by the county, not those individual cities, and also fortunate for us, the court does not like the camera tickets and has set a policy that if they do not hear from you after you have been mailed a camera ticket, they will not report your lack of response to the DMV. Hard to believe? Do a search on red light camera no consequence. Grants Rants Hollywood TalkFri, Mar 10, 2017 at 1:59 pm These do not work. The driver accelerates and rear ends other drivers to make it though the light it if it’s backed up. It’s hard enough to maneuver the city, please stop with the lights. It’s clearly only an opportunity to make money. RZFri, Mar 10, 2017 at 2:18 pm Hope left turn signals are going to be added as well! CobyFri, Mar 10, 2017 at 3:20 pm Los Angeles stopped using them because they were losing tons of money on them! The video companies charge exorbitant ongoing fees to the City for their use, with promises of vast revenue, which in reality comes in at fractions of what they predict. JWFri, Mar 10, 2017 at 3:59 pm Grants Rants (above) might be mistaking studies that indicated rear-end accidents were happening more frequently at camera-installed intersections because drivers were seeing the camera at the last minute (on a yellow light) or seeing the flash on the car going through ahead of them, and slamming on their brakes, triggering the rear ender from behind. Perhaps his version is also happening, but I thought I’d toss in the study I saw years ago, when most cities were pulling their cameras from intersections. That said, it is scary out there with all the speeding and texting, especially for pedestrians. I would add the intersection at Robertson and S.M. Blvd. to the list of the more dangerous. Joshua88Fri, Mar 10, 2017 at 6:45 pm Not only do they not work, but as Henry Wilson mentioned above, LA County is not enforcing the fines. The court can hold on to your record, but it’s the private companies who chase you down. Ignore the warnings. I got a ticket which I ignored repeatedly – and I don’t remember the increasing fee(s) but it was woo-hoo expensive. Check it out yourself, but do not pay if you are caught. This was the intersection at Fairfax and Fountain, maybe five or six years ago. I have had a clean record since the 80s. I still do. It’s hard to believe WeHo is wasting the money on this. I remember when the issue first came up and I remarked similarly. Which genius decided this was a good use of our money? SpeedySat, Mar 11, 2017 at 8:59 am Did reinstallation of these lights ever come before CC for discussion or vote? If so, if anyone knows the circumstances……. Terry BoloSat, Mar 11, 2017 at 9:44 am As long as we are talking about traffic lights,The lights need to be changed, for left turns! When you have your arrow, you have to wait for half of it, while cross traffic all makes THEIR left turns on their yellow! Change the arrow to to before the yellow! Not after the red! Can’t believe there aren’t more accidents. so you have both people trying to turn left at the same time, one has the arrow, the other has a yellow! That is a conflict! SpeedySun, Mar 12, 2017 at 8:56 am 25 mph speed limit throughout Weho would solve many safety problems. Create revenue from rectors and talkers who walk and drive. Realign turn land arrows and sequencing. Traffic would flow, safety would improve, texters & talkers may tire of paying expensive tickets. Harsh? So is a car crash. DavidMon, Mar 13, 2017 at 8:33 am Graying, greedy city has priced out young people (who are moving their disposable incomes to North Hollywood and Downtown instead) and needs more revenue to fund its transition to Manhattan-lite. Sad! Joshua88Mon, Mar 13, 2017 at 5:12 pm David, These fines are not enforceable. Read the comments – you do not have to pay. Henry WillsonMon, Mar 13, 2017 at 11:32 pm About ignoring the tickets… If you are gonna ignore a red light camera ticket from WeHo or elsewhere in LA County, you need to ignore it completely. You must not go on the court’s website and look at your record as that gives the court acknowledgment that you received the ticket. You also must not go to the court window clerks and inquire about your ticket. You just need to behave as if you never received the thing in the mail. In other words, do nothing except to tell your friends to ignore their camera tickets. And please note: The ability to ignore applies only to red light camera tickets, and only in LA County. John KTue, Mar 14, 2017 at 8:34 am How much did these cameras cost the city last time around? I’ll bet all the equipment from the last failed “traffic camera” experiment is in a storage closet at city hall. C.R.Tue, Mar 14, 2017 at 8:18 pm It seems to be unanimous here at least that this is a stupid decision so who exactly is to blame for these cameras being installed? J SimmonsWed, Mar 15, 2017 at 10:19 am Years of research has shown Red Light Cameras actually lead to / cause a big increase in accidents. Drivers speeding up or stopping short has made most cities to remove Red Light Cameras for serious traffic safety. Try googling it.