As previously discussed in this post, the Austin, TX City Council voted late last year, to approve installing red light cameras at selected intersections throughout the city.

As of Memorial Day 2008, they’re live, recording violators and sending that information to the city of Austin, so they can mail those unfortunate drivers a little surprise in the mail.

Everyone knows that you shouldn’t “run a red light.” Doing so is VERY dangerous, and can cost you your life — Or, worse yet, the life of someone else. But, just what constitutes a violation, and potential ticket? A little over a week ago, someone poised just that question in a Letter to the Editor of the Austin American-Statesman. The editor chose to publish the question, but offered no comment or explanation! THAT’S helpful!

To answer this question, I refer to a publication that most, if not all, drivers in Texas have studied at one point or another. It’s the standard for driving schools and driver’s education classes all across Texas – the Texas Drivers Handbook. I also will refer to the Texas Transportation Code, Section 544.007 to see what the state of Texas has to say about the subject.

Here’s what the Texas Drivers Handbook has to say about red lights:

Steady red Light

Stop before entering the crosswalk or intersection. You may turn right unless prohibited by law. You may also turn left if both streets are one way unless prohibited by law. You must yield to all pedestrians and other traffic lawfully using the intersection.

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In 2007, officers issued almost 58 thousand speeding tickets around the city.

APD is able to devote thousands of hours to traffic enforcement thanks to a federal grant. A half a million dollar grant pays officers overtime to look for speeders and red light runners.

And, it seems, officers have their favorite areas for catching speeders. It’s pretty apparent that the 7300 block of Hwy 290 E is a favorite hot spot. Better watch out, too, if you’re traveling in the 1700 block of Riverside. Do you drive in the 5200 block of E. Ben White, or the 1500 block of W. Anderson Lane? Well, you’re likely to get a ticket in all of those areas if you’re a little heavy footed, or just not paying attention.

Below is a list of the top 20 speeding ticket hot spots in Austin. This list, provided by the Austin Police Department, shows the number of tickets issued in 2007 for the areas listed. As you can see, the first three on the list are really high-profile areas, and are quite likely to be enforced more so than other areas of town.

Be careful out there!

Tickets Block & Street Name

4856 7000-7600 HIGHWAY 290 EAST
2001 1500-2000 RIVERSIDE EAST
1949 5100-5400 BEN WHITE EAST

866 1200-1900 WEST ANDERSON LANE
745 1000-2200 CONGRESS AVE SOUTH
729 8200-8500 MANCHACA ROAD
677 3000 WINDSOR ROAD
674 4000-4900 FM 2222
539 10800-10900 RESEARCH BLVD
511 1400-1800 ENFIELD
477 4300-4500 SLAUGHTER LANE
459 100-400 BRAKER LANE
372 7200-7400 BEN WHITE EAST
350 100 SOUTH 1ST STREET
297 3900-4100 AIRPORT BLVD
290 3700-3900 SPICEWOOD SRPINGS ROAD
270 5300 WESTGATE
254 13000-13800 RESEARCH 183 NORTH
217 2200-2600 BARTON SPRINGS ROAD
205 3700-4000 MANCHACA ROAD

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The Texas Department of Transportation is installing traffic signals designed to increase congestion and drive toll road traffic.

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is using traffic signals to create the level of frustration to a point where the public is forced to accept toll roads. Earlier this month in Austin, TxDOT added an extra traffic signal on State Highway 71 to coincide with the opening of the third segment of the State Highway 130 toll road. Residents interviewed by News 8 Austin complained that the change made already bad traffic much worse on nearby free roads.

“At its worst it’s about a two-hour wait,” Daniel Villegas said. “Traffic just accumulates and accumulates.”

Likewise, those driving on US 183 Liberty Hill are diverted onto a frontage road with a new traffic signal that generates significant congestion that can only be avoided by taking the 183A toll road.

“It has become obvious to me that this whole toll road system has less to do with improving mobility and more to do with lining the pockets of private toll road investors and property developers along the old and new routes,” resident Malcom Terry wrote in a complaint to the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority in February. “We were sold a bill of goods.”

Often state agencies enter into “non-compete” agreements with private companies that operate toll roads. The provisions of these agreements require not only that nearby competing free roads remain unimproved, but also that various obstacles such as lowered speed limits and traffic signals be used to generate additional congestion, as happened on the Colorado E-470 and Sydney, Australia’s Cross City Tunnel.

Source: (News 8 Austin (TX), 9/27/2007)

In an effort to reduce red light running and enhance traffic safety, the Austin, TX City Council voted to approve installing red light cameras at selected intersections throughout the city in November 2007.

“There is a problem here in Austin,” said Austin Communications Director Gene Acuna. The city is planning to activate the cameras during the Memorial Day weekend.  There will be no grace period.

According to Austin Police Department statistics, there were 1,300 accidents as a result of red light running.

Nine intersections will have cameras. But the city won’t say just yet which will be switched on first.

You’ll find them at I-35 and 11th Street; I-35 and 15th street; the northbound and southbound sides of Mopac and Wells Branch; both directions at Lamar and Ben White; Mopac and 290; Riverside and Pleasant Valley Road; and I-35 and MLK.

“The goal of the program has been always has been safety,” said Acuna.

Wayne Krause is Legal Director of the Texas Civil Rights Project.   He doesn’t think red light cameras make us any safer.

“We just had studies come out of England that show that there is no or very little safety advantage to having cameras out there,” he said.

He wonders if we’re giving up our rights for what the city calls safety.

“You really ought to ask the citizens if it’s what they want and whether their security and their rights are at stake,” Krause said.

Motorists we talked to about the city’s red light camera plan had mixed reactions.

“It’s too much surveillance too much big brother”, said motorist Steve Gillus.

Heather Shelby thinks it’s a good idea.

“I stop when it starts to turn yellow and I know a lot of people don’t. It causes accidents and raises our insurance,” she said.

The city will release a PSA on Monday, May 12th.

SpeedTrapAhead reader Travis S. emailed recently to warn drivers in Austin of a dangerous Speed Trap area for westbound traffic on W. 15th street, just after passing the Lamar bridge.

Travis, who stated he hadn’t had a ticket in well over five years, got a surprise when he was cited for speeding in that area. Then, to add insult to injury, he got another just nine days later, even when he knew about the danger around that area and, “was trying to be careful.” Sorry, Travis.

Also in that area, there are often motorcycle cops along the small feeder roads to MoPac. Such as, westbound Enfield after turning left onto Winsted Lane. This is basically a residential road that is a feeder approaching MoPac. Keep your speed down here, as it is easy to get going too fast in your anticipation of entering the onramp.

Travis, thanks for your tip. Sorry that you’re having to deal with these unfortunate tickets; but, perhaps your experience will help others to avoid the same misfortune. Anyone else that knows of a especially nasty speed trap area, please email us. Even if it’s somewhere outside of Austin, let us know that too! We’re wanting to make the speed trap map as comprehensive as possible.

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