Following a two-year period of testing and evaluation, the Howard County, Maryland program began the formal detection of violations and issuance of red-light running citations on February 18, 1998 at two sites in Columbia, Maryland. By the end of 1998, 19 locations were prepared and began operations. At the conclusion of 1999, there were 30 sites detecting red-light running and issuing citations. The testing and evaluation process served to define a selection procedure to implement the photo-monitoring program. The selection criteria included angle collisions, ADT, red-light violations, 85-th percent approach speeds, and peak hour traffic flow. A traffic consultant firm was retained to analyze 100 signalized intersections to ascertain appropriate candidates. At the end of the first year of operations, an assessment of the program's impact was initiated and continues to the present.
Abstract