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Home My WebLink AboutUBI 2009 OCTOBERRed Light Camera Election CITY OF COLLEGE STATION Inside College Station From the City of College Station • Home of Texas A&M University • College Station, Texas October 2009 In 2007, the College Station City Council approved the use of red light cameras. These cameras identify vehicles that illegally enter an intersection after the traffic light turns red. Proposed civil violations are sent to the city’s police department for review and approval. The owner of the vehicle is issued a $75 civil fine, with photos and a video. Red light camera locations were chosen based on red light related crashes and violations, along with a recommendation from a citizen’s committee. A petition was filed by a citizen’s group asking the City Council to let voters decide whether to keep or eliminate the red light camera system. This item will be on the November 3 ballot. SAMPLE BALLOT - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - COLLEGE STATION RED LIGHT CAMERA STATISTICS - - - - - - - - - - - 50% decrease• in red light running violations over life of program 54% decrease• in red light related crashes between 2006 & 2008 0% increase• in rear-end crashes between 2006 & 2008 50%• of red light camera violations were straight through the intersection and 47% were right turn on red without stopping between April & August of 2009 SAFETY PROJECTS FUNDED BY CITY REVENUE - - - - - - - - - - - - - - New LED traffic signals that improves driver visibility• New battery back-up systems at 10 intersections in case of • power outages Pedestrian signal count-down timers • STATE LAW (TRANSPORTATION CODE 707) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - State Law prohibits red light cameras from taking pictures • of drivers or occupants State Law requires that 50% of the revenue from red • light cameras be sent to the comptroller to be deposited into the regional trauma account; the remainder goes towards the city’s transportation safety and intersection improvement projects State Law prohibits the money from being deposited into • the city’s General Fund account State Law requires that yellow light times of traffic signals • must range from 3 to 6 seconds based on the speed limit State Law allows cities to pay the vendor only a flat • monthly fee for their services instead of per violation State Law allows violations to be appealed to the • Municipal Court Judge The powers granted under City Ordinance 3017, Titled Section 11 Automatic Traffic Signal Enforcement, which amended Chapter 10, Traffic Code of the Code of Ordinances of the City of College Station enacted 10/25/08, shall henceforth be deemed and declared unenforceable. For the Ordinance - will ban the use of cameras to enforce Red Light Violations. Against the Ordinance - will allow the use of cameras to enforce Red Light Violations. For more on College Station Red Light Cameras, visit: www.cstx.gov/redlightcameras College Station Utilities will no longer send separate reminder notices prior to cut off date for non payment of utility services. As of Sept. 25, if you have a previous balance, your payment amount along with your scheduled cut off date will be displayed on your next utility bill. This bill statement will serve as your final notification of a past due utility bill prior to disconnection for non payment. Customers are also encouraged to sign up for College Station Utility’s e-BILL services to receive a paperless bill via their e-mail account. E-billing is faster, lessens our environmental impact, and is much more efficient than standard mailing. The e-bill sign up form can be found at www.cstx.gov/ucs. For more information about any of the above topics, contact the Utility Customer Service office at 979.764.3535. News From CSU Household Hazardous Waste The next Household Hazardous Waste Event is scheduled for Saturday, November 14, at the University Services Building, 3380 University Drive East, from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m. The Household Hazardous Waste and Computer Collection Event is free to residents in the seven county region within the Brazos Valley. Dispose of your unwanted paint, paint thinners, oil and oil filters, old computers, gasoline, compact fluorescent light bulbs and long fluorescent tubes. Ammunition, explosives, radioactive waste, tires, compressed gas cylinders, and household garbage will not be accepted. For a full list of items accepted visit the BVSWMA website at www.cstx.gov/bvswma or call the Hazardous Waste Hotline at 979.764.3809. International GIS Day As a part of Geography Awareness Week, College Station’s GIS (geographic information systems) Division and others in the GIS community will celebrate and host International GIS Day the week of November 16-20, 2009 with a host of activities for the public. On November 17, an Open House will be held at the Conference Center from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., where participants may set up booths to share ideas. On that same day from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. there will be a Geocaching opportunity. This is essentially a type of treasure hunt using global positioning systems, which can be a family-fun activity. During the entire week there will be a Map & Project Gallery at the College Station Conference Center where participants who use GIS or GPS (global positioning systems) in their businesses may network with other users and submit maps or projects for volunteer credits or GIS points. For more information about this week-long celebration and activities, contact Dawn Killian, College Station GIS Division, at 979.764.3430 or dkillian@cstx.gov. Brazos Valley Worldfest Brazos Valley Worldfest, a community-wide international festival, presented by Citibank and hosted by the City of College Station and Texas A&M University, is moving to Wolf Pen Creek Amphitheater for its third annual event. Festivities are set for Saturday, November 14 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The mission is to promote and celebrate the international diversity and heritage of the Brazos Valley and planners expect the event to grow and expand in 2009. The festival will include more than 50 culture displays, demonstrations, and performances on three stages, arts and crafts, storytelling, vendors, international cuisine and more. Families will enjoy spending the day participating in hands-on activities, learning about cultures around the world and receiving stamps in their souvenir passports. All ages will enjoy watching Japanese drummers pound out incredible rhythms, flamenco dancers kick it up, hearing storytelling from Africa, visiting a Bedouin camp with real camels, as well as a chance to see some boot- scootin’ Texas country and western dance! Everyone is invited to celebrate with the world at Brazos Valley Worldfest! The event is free and parking is available at Post Oak Mall. For more information on activities, visit www.brazosvalleyworldfest.org. Greenways Master Plan Meeting The City of College Station is updating its Bicycle, Pedestrian and Greenways Master Plan and will be holding a third community meeting to gather input on the proposed system as well as input on the prioritization of facilities and other recommendations. Come and help us plan for a community that better accommodates bicycling, walking and greenways. The community meeting will be held Tuesday, November 3, at 6:30 p.m. at the College Station Conference Center, 1300 George Bush Drive, Room 127. For more information, visit www.cstx.gov/hikeandbike or call Venessa Garza at 979.764.3674. CITY OF COLLEGE ST A TION INSIDE COLLEGE STATION October 2009 • PAGE 2 Vote on November 3, 2009 from 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. PRECINCTS PLACE 2bc Wellborn Community Center 4119 W. Greens Prairie Rd. 8 Parkway Baptist Church 1501 Southwest Pkwy 9 CS Conference Center 1300 George Bush Dr. 10ab CSU Cust. Service Center 310 Krenek Tap Rd. 20 Rudder Tower, 2nd Floor A&M Campus, Joe Routt Blvd. 21 St. Mary’s Catholic Church 603 Church St, A&M Campus 24 B/CS Conv. & Visitors Bureau 715 University Dr East 32 Larry J. Ringer Library 1818 Harvey Mitchell Pkwy 33/72/74 Lincoln Center 1000 Eleanor 34 CS City Hall 1101 Texas Avenue 35ab CS ISD Admin. 1812 Welsh 39 St. Francis Episcopal Church 1101 Rock Prairie Rd. 40 Aldersgate Methodist Church 2201 Earl Rudder Fwy 41/42 Christ United Methodist Church 4201 State Hwy 6 64 Mary Branch Elementary 2040 W. Villa Maria, Bryan 68 Peach Creek Community Center 2216 Peach Creek Rd. 80 Brazos Valley Bank 4030 Hwy 6 South In addition to the election on the use of red light cameras in College Station, there will also be a set of constitutional amendments on the ballot. For more information regarding the ballot, contact: Connie Hooks, City Secretary, at 979.764.3541 or chooks@cstx.gov.