In November, voters in Cleveland can decide whether or not to ban the use of automatic traffic cameras to catch red-light violators.
As Joanna Richards reports for ideastream, more than 13,000 Clevelanders have signed a petition presented to the Cuyahoga Board of Elections. Indeed, this is thousands more than necessary to get a proposed charter amendment on the November ballot.
According to the petition, the proposed measure would "require a police officer to be present near a traffic camera, and issue the ticket directly to the motorist at the time of the violation. That would effectively kill the use of the cameras by removing them as an efficient alternative to in-person policing."
Currently, these automatic traffic cameras detect cars passing through intersections on red lights, and document their violation, making it very difficult to challenge the citation in court.
However, opponents to the measure "say a referendum isn’t needed, since the legality of the cameras is before the state Supreme Court, and a proposed statewide ban may come up for a vote in the legislature this fall."
FULL STORY: Clevelanders to Have Their Say on Traffic Cameras
Cleveland Ready for Vision Zero
Cleveland is working to become the latest U.S. city to set a goal to eliminate traffic fatalities.
Let’s End Traffic Stops
The technology to make traffic enforcement obsolete is becoming available. But in the U.S. willing to use it?
Streets, Not Scooters, Are the Problem
The media coverage of a tragic crash in Cleveland shows how long of a leash drivers and street design get in the debate about traffic safety and the public realm.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
This Toronto Suburb Has More Bus Riders Than Columbus, Ohio
Brampton, Ontario used gradual improvements in service to prove that if you build it, they will ride.
Paris Bike Boom Leads to Steep Drop in Air Pollution
The French city’s air quality has improved dramatically in the past 20 years, coinciding with a growth in cycling.
Why Housing Costs More to Build in California Than in Texas
Hard costs like labor and materials combined with ‘soft’ costs such as permitting make building in the San Francisco Bay Area almost three times as costly as in Texas cities.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Smith Gee Studio
Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
City of Santa Clarita
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service