SUFFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — Suffolk City Council gave the green light to new traffic enforcement cameras.
Council voted unanimously Wednesday on an ordinance to approve the cameras. They’re meant to improve safety at intersections, schools and work zones, such as those on Holland Road.
Red light cameras are among those included in the plans, and Suffolk can have up to nine operating at one time, per state code. Proposed spots include Holland Road near the Suffolk bypass, Harbor View Blvd. at Bridge Road and College Drive at Bridge Road.
Violations for running a red light in Virginia are capped at $50 and must be reviewed by a police officer before a ticket is issued.
The cameras are also meant to be “revenue neutral,” Public Works Director Robert Lewis says. The private contractor Suffolk is using charges a flat fee that will be made up by violations, but Virginia law forbids any additional compensation based on further violations.
Lewis said earlier this month that some cameras could start to go up within the next month, and the city will have accompanying signage and public awareness campaigns. Some cameras such as those at red lights were still undergoing the VDOT approval process, Lewis said.
Suffolk joins other local cities in recently implementing cameras. Hampton just voted back in January to approve new red light cameras near the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel.
