Lathrop may be the next city to have red-light safety cameras at multiple locations around town, following Manteca and other cities.

At today’s 7 p.m. open session in the City Council Chamber, 390 Towne Centre Dr., the Lathrop City Council will consider putting red-light safety cameras at multiple intersections, including:

·         River Islands Parkway and McKee Boulevard.

·         Lathrop Road and 5th Street / Woodfield Drive.

·         Golden Valley Parkway and Spartan Way.

Staff has received complaints from residents coupled with reports from the Lathrop Police Department regarding frequent red-light-running at a number of intersections.

The latter remains a leading cause of severe right-angle “T-bone” crashes at signalized intersections nationally.

According to staff, studies by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Federal Highway Administration, and other safety organizations have shown that automated red-light enforcement reducing such violations by about 40 percent and fatal crashes related to red-light running – notably, large U.S. cities – by about 21 to 24 percent.

Elected leaders will look possibly bringing on Verra Mobility, a leading company in automated red-light enforcement technology not to mention the only available comprehensive solution for automated enforcement.

Verra Mobility has already assisted staff with identifying intersections in Lathrop.

Meanwhile, California adopted Senate Bill 720, which now regulates the use of automated red-light enforcement, at the beginning of the new year.

Not only would SB 720 create an optional “Safer Streets Program,” but the revenue for the contractor providing and maintaining the automated red-light enforcement camera system would be limited to a flat rate of $5,250 with the remaining revenue from violations going to the City of Lathrop, in this case.

In order to participate in SB 720, the City would be required to adopt an automated traffic enforcement impact report at a public hearing before implementing the automated red-light enforcement cameras.

The system impact report would have to be made available to the public for review at least 30 days before the actual public hearing.

The City would announce the implementation 30 days in advance of the operation along with an additional 60 days no-fine warning period.

Before all that, staff is recommending that Council first consider the installation of the safety cameras at those three intersections – future fiscal impacts would be addressed based on the direction by elected leaders.