Update: Where are the Red Light Cameras in Abington?

The Abington Board of Commissioners passed an ordinance six months ago allowing for the use of automated red light cameras at three intersections. And the board also awarded a contract for the cameras to Gatso, Inc.

Read more about the agreement on Abington Patch here.

So where are the cameras?

Abington Township Manager Michael LeFevre said Tuesday that things have been “relatively quiet” regarding the installation of red light cameras, which will be placed at the following intersections:

• Old York and Susquehanna roads
• Moreland and Fitzwatertown roads 
• Old Welsh and Old York roads

LeFevre said that the township is waiting on final approval from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation; crews from PennDOT have been to the three intersections in the past couple of weeks, and have done an analysis, but nothing has been made official — and the township hasn’t gotten any feedback regarding the analysis, according to LeFevre. 

However, LeFevre said the installation of the hardware likely won’t take much time, and added that it’s possible the cameras will be up and snapping by early January. 

LeFevre also said there will likely be an agenda item at next month’s meetings asking for board approval to send the names of delinquent red-light-camera violators to a collection agency.

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Abington was one of 13 municipalities in Pennsylvania approved to consider red light cameras because of its size and its police department’s accreditation status.

Here are some of the basics: 

The cameras:

• Capture the date, time, posted speed, approximate speed of vehicle, color of the light, length of the previous yellow light, length of red signal, and plate
• Shoot only the rear image of a vehicle
• Are not permitted to be used for surveillance
• The vendor installs, maintains and transfers the images to the Abington Police Department

The fine:

•  Is a civil fine
• Is $100
• There will be a 60-day warning period upon implementation
• Does not interfere with insurance premiums
• Is linked to the vehicle, not the driver
• Funds in excess of running the program go back to PennDOT for transportation enforcement grants

Of note:

• If the driver can prove that he or she wasn’t driving the vehicle at the time, the driver does not have to say who was driving.
• An Abington Police officer will review each alleged violation, bringing a human element into the mix … should a first responder or someone in a funeral procession get tagged
• An Abington Police officer has to sign each citation.
• The length of a yellow light is calculated by PennDOT and is dependent on a road’s width and speed limit.