A plan to bring red light cameras back to Charlotte took a big step forward today after winning approval from the City Council’s safety committee.
The committee voted 4-0 to advance a city-funded program to place 10 red light cameras across Charlotte.
If approved by the full council, the city could fine red light runners $75 per violation, with a majority of the revenue benefiting Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. The program would cost $600,000 a year.
The committee also considered having CMS run the program and reimburse the city for expenses, but Council Member Ed Driggs said he wasn’t sure lawmakers in Raleigh would approve that plan, which they would need to do.
“I hate to be negative, but I’m just saying the environment is such that I don’t know about the politics of that,” Driggs told the committee.
Charlotte previously had red light cameras from 1998 to 2006 before the program was cut because of cost concerns.
