PITTSBURGH — East General Robinson Street, where it intersects with Anderson Street, is the latest site for the City of Pittsburgh’s Automated Red-Light enforcement program.
Jan Raether, Infrastructure engagement manager for D.O.M.I., said, ”We picked the intersections based on reports of red light running or red light running crashes.”
Red light cameras have already been in place on North Dallas and Penn Avenues and Saw Mill Run Boulevard and Woodruff Street for a month. Starting Friday, drivers at General Robinson and Anderson will also be cited if they run a red light.
Raether said, “If you enter the intersection after the light turns red, then you are subject to getting a ticket.”
Right now is the warning period where if the camera catches you running a red light, you’ll get a citation in the mail letting you know about it.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Automated red-light enforcement cameras go live at 2 Pittsburgh intersections
After October 11, it won’t be a warning; it’ll be a $100 ticket.
Nick Ramsey, who works on North Shore, said, “I think Pittsburgh is kind of tough because the yellow lights are very short. You might be going the speed limit, and you’ve got that one and a half to two seconds…do I have time or not?”
“We actually have to have like a set standard amount of time that has to be consistent so that it isn’t unpredictable for folks. They know if they’re going to this intersection, this light is always going to be yellow for x seconds,” Raether said.
He detailed the protocol for what defines running a red light.
“The stop bar is the painted white line at the intersection. If your back tires are through that intersection and the light is already red, then you would get a ticket. but if you are if it’s still yellow as you cross that it’s technically up to the officer’s discretion, but they’ve been advised not to give tickets in those kinds of cases,” he added.
Ramsey said, “I think I’m more concerned about the no turn on reds because you’ll end up sitting there for a long time.”
Raether says they’ll be analyzing data to make those kinds of adjustments so that doesn’t happen.
Three other intersections in the city will also have red light cameras added this year.
Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW