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Davenport has a similar red-light camera contract with Transol, an Australian company with a base in Phoenix, Ariz.
The system works much like Council Bluffs' system. If a violator is caught on camera, Transol reviews the violation. All infractions are then forwarded to Davenport Police officers for final approval, and Transol mails out the tickets.
The violation also carries a $65 fine in Davenport. The fine is spilt with Transol receiving $33 and the city of Davenport accepting $32.
Five intersections in Davenport have been monitored since the program's inception in October of 2004.
Davenport traffic engineer, Gary Statz, said that the city has recently completed a study of car collisions comparing data from October 2003 to June 2004 with data from the red-light camera period of October 2004 to June 2005.
"Red-light-running crashes at the five intersections are down over the period as a whole," Statz stated. "Not significantly, but some are down more than others."
Statz also said that collisions at one intersection increased minimally.
He also conceded that rear end collisions are up in Davenport as well, but stated that the causes for the accidents were because of a driver's foot slipping off of the brake or thinking that a light turned green, when it didn't.
"From the nine-month data, there is no evidence that red-light cameras are causing rear-end crashes," Statz said. "From our data it is very apparent that the wrecks have nothing to do with the cameras."
"My concern is that if a vehicle is not stopping for the car in front of it, it is probably not going to stop for a red light, which could cause a side impact collision, exactly what we are trying to avoid," added Reeder.
Davenport installed the cameras at intersections where the highest number of red-light crashes occurred over the last three years. Since the installation of the cameras, accidents have also gone down at the next five worst intersections.
Statz theorized that the publicity, coupled with the raised awareness level of citizens, is working on curbing poor driving habits.
"I think that people are examining their driving habits as a whole," he said, "and it is all over the city, not just at the monitored intersections."
The cameras are also offering undisputed proof of the violations. Statz said that of the 3,600 tickets issued thus far, only two have been challenged. Both challenges lost.
"Violators can set up an appointment with officers to view the episode in its entirety," he stated. "After watching the incident, most just ask how they pay the fine."
Davenport, like Council Bluffs, is only charging the obvious red-light runners. Statz said that violators must be behind the white stop bar before a light turns red to receive a violation. If any part of the vehicle's tire is on the stop bar before the light turns red, the city is not issuing a citation.
"We are not splitting hairs here," he added. "The threshold we are using is that if an officer were in a patrol car behind the vehicle, would they have pulled them over. We are trying not to use the convenience of the system to nail people."
Running a red light in Council Bluffs means that the vehicle has entered the intersection while the light is already red, according to Sgt. Chad Meyers. Drivers will not get a ticket if they enter the intersection on a yellow light and are in the intersection when it turns red.
Discretion will always be used under unusual circumstances. Wednesday night's thunderstorms knocked out lights at 21st Street and Broadway, causing the signals to flash red.
Council Bluffs Police officer and traffic investigator Jason Bailey said that he received several concerned calls from people who stopped and then proceeded through the intersection, only to see the flash of the red light camera in their rearview mirror.
"Redflex will watch the video and see that the lights are blinking and throw those violations out," he said. "However, if someone drove through a blinking red light without stopping, they would be cited."
By keeping the threshold standards relatively high, Statz said it has kept controversy in Davenport relatively low.
"There has been positive public perception; probably not by everyone who has received a ticket, but the overall reaction is positive," he said.
Statz said that the education process of the citizenry is evident in a story that the Davenport Chief of Police related to him. A man told the chief that he was expecting a ticket soon, because he ran a red light. However, Statz said that the intersection where the man allegedly ran the light does not have a camera.
Based on his personal driving experience, Statz said that he is seeing less light runners on his way to and from work.
"I don't have empirical data that states red-light running is down, but crashes are," he said. "Is that coincidence or awareness? I don't know; I just know that our busier streets are down on red-light crashes right now."
Statz is not ready to claim victory or even proclaim that red-light cameras are the reason for fewer accidents. He still wants to see more data, which will only come with time.
The Davenport City Council appears to be pleased with the direction of the red-light cameras. Statz said that last week the council passed an ordinance that would allow cameras to capture speeding. Statz fears that this ordinance may not be as popular with citizens.
"Talk to me in couple of months," he joked.
And, while Council Bluffs is not considering speed cameras, Reeder said that the Iowa Department of Transportation will continue to follow the progress of the red-light cameras in Council Bluffs through a study conducted by Iowa State University.
As for what will be considered a success for the project, Reeder said that one can never know. While data suggests that numbers should decrease, Reeder points out that each city that uses cameras is unique, with varying drivers and terrain. But he does predict a decrease in violations.
"I think there will be a significant decrease. If we haven't achieved a 50 percent reduction in three years I will be amazed," he said. "Maybe I'll be amazed, but I doubt it."
"I think that the public awareness program has been great here," Reeder added. "If we don't write any tickets, that's fine with me."
