Drivers in College Station will want to be aware that a new batch of red light cameras will be activated at midnight Thursday.
Click to hear WTAW’s Chris Clift talk with Traffic Engineer Troy Rother:
Press release from COCS:
College Station, TX – As approved by the College Station City Council on February 26, the City of College Station is in the process of installing five additional red light cameras at the following locations: Intersection Monitored Direction Texas at George Bush Drive Northbound, Eastbound, Westbound Texas at Holleman Drive Northbound Texas at FM 2818 Eastbound
The cameras will become active on Thursday, May 28. Unlike on the first phase of cameras, a warning period will not be utilized upon the activation of these cameras.
These locations comprise the Phase II installation of red light cameras for the Cameras Advancing Red Light Enforcement Safety (CARES) Program, which were selected based on crash history and current red light running observations. Because Texas Avenue, which consistently has the intersections with the highest crash rates, was under construction during the time the city was evaluating locations for Phase I, it was not included in the evaluation process. As recommended by the citizen advisory committee and approved by the City Council, a second phase was initiated so the intersections along Texas Avenue could be evaluated.
The CARES program currently has four monitored locations, and an evaluation of before and after crash data at these locations found that total red light related crashes decreased from 13 in 2006 to 7 in 2008. Additionally, right-angle crashes related to red light running decreased from 9 to 5 during the same two year period. As required by state law, the revenue collected from the system is being used for the following transportation improvement projects:
1. New LED signal heads which are brighter and use less electricity
2. Battery back-up systems at 4 intersections to keep the signals operational during a power outage
3. Signal warrant study for the FM 60 and Copperfield Parkway intersection
Motorists are encouraged to obey all traffic signals when approaching an intersection.