Red-light camera bill has little hope

The Honolulu Advertiser
Friday, April 20, 2007

By Derrick DePledge
Advertiser Government Writer

A bill that would let counties use cameras to catch speeding drivers who run red lights is likely dead for the session at the state Legislature.

State Rep. Joseph Souki, D-8th (Wailuku, Waihe'e, Waiehu), the chairman of the House Transportation Committee, has sought to bring back some type of camera enforcement system since the controversial van cam law was repealed in 2002.

Souki believed positioning cameras around-the-clock at intersections where red-light violations are a significant cause of collisions would be a deterrent that could protect pedestrians and other drivers. Under the old law, camera vans were used to monitor drivers at select intersections.

But Souki deferred the bill yesterday in conference committee after Senate negotiators objected.

"I don't know what their problem is," Souki said afterward. "We have cameras all over the place. You have them at the bank, at the supermarket, even here, at the Capitol."

State Sen. J. Kalani English, D-6th (E. Maui, Moloka'i, Lana'i), chairman of the Senate Transportation and International Affairs Committee, said cameras do not address the main issue of pedestrian safety.

"The public has told us before that they don't want this," English said.

Lawmakers still hope to provide money for immediate safety steps, such as recalibrating crossing signals to increase crossing times or installing traffic countdown timers at dangerous intersections.

Lawmakers may also ask the state to identify intersections where elderly pedestrians do not have adequate time to cross.

Reach Derrick DePledge at ddepledge@honoluluadvertiser.com.

© COPYRIGHT 2007 The Honolulu Advertiser, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.

Original article URL: http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2007/Apr/20/ln/FP704200363.html/?print=on

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