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Saturday, March 07, 2020

No Pictures Please!

Dayton, Ohio shuts down the traffic cameras (for now).
The city of Dayton had pullback the speed and red light cameras for now. The city is still fighting against the state over those damn cameras. A longstanding issue in the city. Many believe that the traffic cameras being placed in predominantly Black areas contributes to a "shake down."

Nan Whaley, the city's mayor dismiss the notion and believe the cameras are there for the safety of citizens. The city pulled a mighty good revenue from these devices.

Dayton was one of the many jurisdictions that advocated for the use of red light cameras and speed cameras at many of its intersections.

The state of Ohio countered that the cameras were basically cash cows and didn't offer logical proof a violation was committed by traffic offenders. They had passed a state law requiring speed cameras near schools and used during periods when children are present. They also said that police officers should be located near an intersection to witness the violation.

The Dayton Police couldn't use the manpower to have officers watching intersections.

So they had to pull the cameras. They took it to court and won on the grounds of home rule legislation. Now Ohio came back with avengence. They wanted to make a law crystal clear, "if you're profiting off the cameras and not the safety, the cameras are invalid."

Last summer, the city of Dayton stopped using its fixed traffic cameras to record violations and issue citation notices.

The city has placed traffic cameras near school zones and have been actively enforcing those since.
Main Street at Hillcrest Avenue was the former location for a red light camera.
The speed detection cameras installed on North Gettysburg Avenue and North Main Street in Dayton were deactivated. The red light cameras are still active at South Smithville Road at Linden Avenue, James H. McGee Boulevard at West Third Street. The only speed camera still active is on South Keowee Street near downtown Dayton.

The city has still fought the state on this. The state had warned Dayton and other communities that if they continue with the traffic cameras, they'll lose necessary funding for roads and projects.

Ohio lawmakers had passed a law requiring that traffic cameras are to be used only when school speed limits are lowered during hours of education.

Dayton had pulled in over $2 million in revenue from traffic cameras.

Montgomery County cities like West Carrollton, Trotwood and Dayton had used those traffic cameras.

Butler County cities like Middletown, New Miami, Hamilton and Fairfield had used those traffic cameras.

Clark County cities like Springfield had used those traffic cameras.

So far, Trotwood and Dayton have continued to use those traffic cameras.



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