You’ve known it was coming. Now, a $100+ fine will await those who run a red light at the first red light camera monitored intersection in KC.

A camera system has been watching red-light scofflaws since last month at 39th Street and Southwest Trafficway, but it won’t involve penalties until Saturday. By the end of next month, five other Kansas City intersections will join in.

(Click on the picture below to enlarge.)

Federal Highway Administration and Illinois governor urge Maryland, Missouri and Tennessee to use freeway speed cameras.

Officials from Maryland, Missouri and Tennessee joined Illinois Governor Rod R. Blagojevich (D) at a two-day event designed to promote the use of speed cameras on freeways throughout the country. In 2006, Illinois became the first state government to implement a statewide photo ticketing program. This effort was soon copied by Arizona, Colorado and Washington state, each of which also sent participants to yesterday’s “highway safety workshop.” Officials attending heard about how successful these programs have been at imposing automated tickets worth up to $1000 each.

“One of the keys to this success has been the photo speed enforcement vans that have deployed by IDOT and the Illinois State Police,” Blagojevich said in a prepared statement about the event.

The participation of Missouri and Tennessee officials has revealed their states’ interest in using automated ticketing machines on freeways.

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St. Louis, Missouri highway sets up speed traps with continuously changing speed limits.

Motorists on Missouri’s Interstate 270 yesterday experienced for the first time an enforced speed limit that was lowered by remote control. Under a new variable speed limit program, the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) installed electronic signs that allow officials to reduce the maximum speed limit on particular sections of road by as much as 20 MPH from the basic 60 MPH speed limit.

Motorists who may have missed the sign, perhaps obscured by a passing semi truck, risk being ticketed if they continue driving at 60 MPH.

“A defensive driver, who is paying attention to the road, should be able to pay attention to the speed limit signs, important messages on the overhead message board, his or her speed, as well as paying attention to the other drivers on the road,” the MoDOT website explains. “The Missouri Highway Patrol has the primary responsibility of enforcing those speed limits. They have indicated that they will support the reduced limits and will be using various methods to track speeders and issue tickets.”

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