Small Town News

Red light camera grace period ends; fines in the mail

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BAREFOOTIN'

Like a river that just keeps on flowing, the Route 1 main street between Nassau and Dewey Beach pulses 24 hours a day, 365 days a year with an endless stream of traffi.

Whether crushed by winter blizzards or steaming with summer's blistering sun, the highway's traffic vibes never end.

DelDOT does its best to balance the need to keep the north-south traffic moving with the need of the east-west traffic to snake its way into the river. When the summer season's highest traffic flows begin to choke the highway, pressure grows, patience wanes and drivers' willingness to obey laws slips quickly. Crawling along, waiting for traffic lights to change, watching idiots passing on the right shoulder, many give up and join the outlaw bands. To hell with the red light. Fenders crunch, mouths curse, police sirens wail and ambulance lights flash. Here comes summer.

This summer though, DelDOT has added another dimension to the Route 1 mix, which will take a lot of the guesswork out of running red lights. Up until this year, if you chose to run the lights at Munchy Branch Road, between Food Lion and Happy Harry's, or at the Old Landing Road intersection, there was a chance you'd get away with it. Not so this year. Red light enforcement cameras have been installed. Telltale flashes of light - it's not lightning - clue you to the fact that you have been photographed and an expensive ticket is on its way.

Like the traffic on Route L the cameras never stop. They've already been taking lots of pictures and their special love letters are already being received. And don't think you'll be getting any favors just because you have an FOP sticker on your bumper or a Delaware tag. The cameras haven't been programmed for good ol, boy treatment. Go through a red light at either one of those intersections and count on a fine of about $115, after court fees and processing has been figured in.

According to DelDOT spokesman Mike Williams, the cameras operated for 30 days before any fines were mailed. Those who were photographed running red lights received a letter instead showing and telling them of their violation. Williams sent down a list of the warnings issued to date:

"The following is a breakdown of the warnir g notices that were issued in the 30 day period which ran from April 6 through May 5," wrote Williams. "However there have been no real violations issued yet as the processing department had to finish the warnings before they can start to issue real citations.

The real citations will be issued shortly as the warning database has just been finalized."

Williams said real citations are being sent out for violations starting on May 6.

He said there was a total of 509 warning notices issued during the 30-day start-up period. People are obviously more impatient going southbound. The greatest number of red light offenders was in the southbound lane of Route 1 at the Old Landing Road intersection. More than eight drivers every day chose to run the red lights there. Here are Williams' numbers: State Route 1 northbound at Munchy Branch Road - 89; SR1 SB @ Munchy Branch Road - 139; SR1 NB @ Old Landing Road - 27; and SRI SB @ Old Landing Road -254.

Williams said once the vendor who installed and maintains the cameras gets paid its monthly rent, the remainder of the fine money goes to the state. A majority of the money goes into the general fund but a portion goes into the DelDOT trust fund along with gas taxes, tolls and motor vehicle fees that fund DelDOT operations.

How exactly will the red light cameras affect traffic flow? Stay tuned. The answer is just around the corner.





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