Out of all the intersections with red light cameras in Windsor two were the worst for red light runners in 2022.
"The ones in particular that kind of jump out at me is our Huron Church and Tecumseh location as well as our Howard location near the E.C. Row ramp," says Windsor's executive director of operations Shawna Boakes. "Those are the two locations in particular that seem to be the highest numbers but the other ones have mid-range as well."
According to a city report, 5,318 tickets were issued in 2022 during the first 12 months of the red light camera program and over $800,000 in fines were issued.
"In a way the higher the numbers, the most disappointed we could be because that means that more people are doing unsafe movements on our roadways," says Boakes. "I would like to see these numbers go down over the next couple of years. To me that would be the optimal solution is to see that trend is going down."
Photo courtesy: City of Windsor
The program became operational in January, 2022 at ten locations across the city, part of a 10-year, $22-million plan to improve traffic safety.
Boakes says she's not pleased the numbers are as high as they are.
"I'd like to see those go down however they're definitely I think getting the picture, getting the message out to motorists on the roadway," says Boakes.
August was the busiest month with 802 tickets issued.
Cameras were installed at 10 targeted intersections across the city identified as the highest accident rate areas, including:
- Wyandotte Street East at Goyeau Street
- University Avenue West at Crawford Avenue
- Erie Street East at Goyeau Street
- Howard Avenue at E.C. Row Expressway eastbound off ramp
- Huron Church Road at Tecumseh Road West
- Eugenie Street East at McDougall Street
- McHugh Street at Clover Avenue
- Wyandotte Street at Ouellette Avenue
- Ouellette Avenue at Giles Boulevard
- Seminole Street at Central Avenue
Tickets issued carry a $325 fine.
The 2022 Windsor/Essex Provincial Offences (POA) Annual Report will go before council Monday night detailing that the red light camera program produced $822,823 in revenue between January and December 2022.
The report lists $214,085 in expenses for the program, resulting in a net revenue of $608,738 for the provincial offences program.
The POA report says the net revenue figure includes expenses directly related to the RLC program and does not include shared operating expenses such as staffing costs, office supplies, etc.
— with files from AM800's Rusty Thomson & Rob Hindi