Judge Strikes Red-Light Law in St. Louis

A St. Louis Circuit Court judge last week struck down St. Louis city's red-light camera law.

Judge Mark Neill, in the 22nd Judicial Court of St. Louis, in a ruling on Feb. 17, upheld a partial judgment he made last May that found the city improperly enacted its red-light camera ordinance.

The Riverfront Times reported that the decision voids any outstanding or new citations issued by the city, though Neill also ruled that those who had already paid a fine are not entitled to a refund because they gave it up voluntarily.

A Jan. 17 Arnold Patch article reported that the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission had on red-light camera installations but issued a new policy on how the cameras would be enforced.

At the Jan. 23 meeting of the Jefferson County Council, Councilman Bob Boyer introduced a measure

Arnold has had red-light cameras since 2005.

A MoDOT report showed a 370 percent increase in total wrecks at the Richardson/Vogel intersection, from 14 prior to installation to 80 afterward. At the intersection of Highway 141 and Astra Way, there was a 90 percent increase, to 69 wrecks from 36. Wrecks at U.S. 61, also called Jeffco Boulevard, and Highway 141 increased to 119 from 106.

Only at the Jeffco Boulevard and Rockport Road intersection did the number of wrecks decrease to eight from nine during the same period, MoDOT reported.