11 Investigates: Red light cameras coming to Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH — Red light cameras are coming to the City of Pittsburgh.

City council said it will make the streets safer.

But you may be surprised who 11 Investigates learned has been running those red lights.

“If the light is yellow, I’ve noticed everybody goes through it,” said Sarita Pearce, a downtown pedestrian.

It didn’t take long for our cameras to see cars and SUVs running red lights in Downtown Pittsburgh and pedestrians with their heads on a swivel.

“When the light turns red, I’m going to wait and make sure the car stops before I go,” said another pedestrian.

“When the light turns red, they’re still going through it. Buses do it all the time,” said Pearce.

And we saw plenty of Pittsburgh Regional Transit buses running red lights.

“Every single time. I’m on the buses when they’re running the red lights,” said Pearce.

We showed the video of buses repeatedly running red lights downtown to Pittsburgh city councilwoman Erika Strassburger, who’s behind the effort to bring red light cameras to the city.

“That’s blatant,” said Councilwoman Strassburger as she watched the video.

She acknowledged that bus drivers have a difficult job, on a tight schedule.

But she said it’s a “huge concern” to see bus drivers running red lights.

“I hope that at the end of that, bus drivers have more freedom, a bit more wiggle room in their schedules so that you don’t feel the need to run these red lights,” said Strassburger.

A PRT spokesman told 11 Investigates they are now working with the city “to figure out how the cameras handle buses — particularly 60-foot buses, which are significantly longer than your average car, truck, SUV or minivan.”

Strassburger said PRT will be treated just like any other driver.

Drivers will get a $100 fine, similar to a parking ticket, with no impact on the driver’s license or insurance.

And PRT said the operator will be responsible for the fine unless it’s determined the violation was issued improperly.

The spokesman said PRT would then assist the operator in fighting the fine and the violation.

Pedestrians said PRT should not receive any special treatment or considerations.

“I’m on the bus. That’s my life that they’re endangering,” said Pearce.

PRT declined to comment on the buses we saw running red lights.

“The sole purpose of this is not to give people tickets. If you’re driving safely, you don’t get a ticket, you don’t get the fine.  It’s to get people to pay attention, drive the speed limit.  Don’t rush through the red light,” said Strassburger.

During a five-year period in the city of Pittsburgh, drivers running red lights caused 759 crashes and seven fatalities.

“I think about my kid and so many other kids out there.  It should be safe for them to walk down the street and go play,” said Strassburger.

“It would make it a lot safer,” said another pedestrian.

But 11 Investigates also discovered that fewer cities are using red light cameras.

It’s down from 500 a decade ago to 337 now.

But other cities, like New York and Washington DC, recently added more cameras.

There’s also conflicting data about the impact.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said red light cameras reduced the fatal crash rate by 21%, but a study by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles showed an increase in accidents, especially rear-end collisions, at intersections with red light cameras.

Earle asked Strassburger about that report.

“It’s going to be really important to choose the exact right vendor and make sure our implementation is right,” said Strassburger, who added that the city will monitor the crash data and make adjustments if necessary.

Some drives have suggested this is just a way for the city to make money.

11 Investigates asked Strassburger about that, and she said the city gets enough money to cover the costs of the program, but the rest of the fines go straight to PennDOT and they use the money for transportation enhancement grants throughout the state.

Pittsburgh will become the fifth municipality in Pennsylvania to use red light cameras.

All of the municipalities send the fines to that PennDOT fund.

Strassburger said Pittsburgh has already received some of that grant money thanks to the red light cameras in those other Pennsylvania cities.

To begin with, the City of Pittsburgh plans to equip up to five intersections with red light cameras next year.

Strassburger said the city hopes to expand the program.

Signs that the cameras are rolling will be posted on the traffic signals.

And during the first two months, drivers will only get a warning.

After that, it’ll be a $100 fine.

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