Covina Red Light Camera Vandalized

Two men under the influence of alcohol were caught and charged with vandalizing a red light camera unit in Covina, California. According to published reports, Billy Goss, 28, and Tim Dunphy. 25 where arrested after witnesses called police and reported that the two were kicking the red light camera unit's control box located at Azusa Avenue and Cypress streets. Doing about $2,500 in damage, the judge set bail at $5,000 each.

Santa Maria Red Light Cameras Launched

Sometimes being the first is not a good thing but for Santa Maria, they became the first city within Santa Barbara county to launch automated enforcement. Located at the intersection of Miller Street and Betteravia Road, drivers caught on camera can look forward to a whooping $396 fine in the mail.

The automated enforcement unit combines both video and photographic data which is transmitted electronically to the unit's manufacturer, Nester Traffic Systems. Their offices are located in Rhode Island. After "processing," the information is emailed to the Santa Maria police. An officer then reviews the evidence to determine if a citation should be issued.

Santa Maria has the largest fine for a red light camera ticket.

Another Red Light Camera Activated in L.A.

Drivers beware, the city of Los Angeles has recently activated another red light camera unit. Located at the intersections of Pico Boulevard and Bundy Drive, warnings will be issued for the first 30 days, then drivers will face a fine of $381. Between 2005 and 2006, over 60 traffic collisions occured at intersection.

Are Speed Cameras Coming to the L.A. area?

The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MCRA) recently announced that they entered into an agreement with Australia-based Redflex to operate a network of thirteen automated speed cameras and red light camera units. The MRCA is a local partnership between the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, which is a state agency established by the Legislature and the Conejo Recreation and Park District and the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District.

WIth jurisdiction over 50,000 acres of public lands, the MCRA's decision has sparked some controversy because according to state law (CVC 21455.6) the legislature, "does not authorize the use of photo radar for speed enforcement purposes by any jurisdiction."

According to a recent article published at TheNewspaper.com, MCRA officials claim the provision prohibiting photo radar does not apply to the agency since it has independent authority to enforce its own ordinances, however, it seems to go directly against what CVC 21455.6's "by any jurisdiction" clause.

The MCRA is sure to face legal challenges when the illegal speed cameras go into operation. San Jose learned this lesson when they originally installed a series of speed cameras to generate additional revenue for city coffers. After a series of legal challenges in Santa Clara County Court, each time it ruled against the city which in turn eventually dropped the photo radar. Now the city faces the possibility of refunding millions of dollars for illegally collecting fines from unsuspecting motorists.

No official MCRA public hearings or install dates have been announced.

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Parks under MCRA jurisdiction:

Park Name Nearest City

Alatorre-Eagle Rock View Park Eagle Rock
Alisa Belinkoff Katz
Las Virgenes Valley Overlook Calabasas
Anthony C. Beilenson Visitor Center
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area Thousand Oaks
Arroyo Pescadero Whittier
Arroyo Seco-South Pasadena Woodland and Wildlife Park South Pasadena
Arroyo Sequit Malibu
Arroyo Simi Equestrian Center Simi Valley
Augustus F. Hawkins Natural Park Los Angeles
Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook Trail Los Angeles
Ballona Creek Trail and Bike Path Culver City
Barbara A. Fine Overlook at the Summit Studio City
Bosque del Rio Hondo Rosemead
Brand Park Glendale
Brookside Park Pasadena
Castro Crest Malibu
Charmlee Natural Area Malibu
Chatsworth Park North Chatsworth
Chatsworth Park South Chatsworth
Cheeseboro Canyon Agoura Hills
Cherry Canyon Park La Cañada Flintridge
Chumash Park Agoura Hills
Circle X Ranch Malibu
Cold Creek Canyon Preserve Malibu
Coldwater Canyon Park Beverly Hills
Corral Canyon Park Malibu
Corriganville Park Simi Valley
County Line Beach Malibu
Dan Blocker State Beach Malibu
Descanso Gardens La Cañada Flintridge
Deukmejian Wilderness Park Glendale
Dixie Canyon Park Studio City
East & Rice Canyon Santa Clarita
Eaton Canyon Natural Area Park
& Nature Center Pasadena
Ed Davis Park in Towsley Canyon Newhall
Egret Park Los Angeles
El Matador State Beach Malibu
El Pescador State Beach Malibu
El Pueblo State Historic Park Los Angeles
Elyria Canyon Park Los Angeles
Elysian Park Los Angeles
Elysian Valley Gateway Park Los Angeles
Ernest E. Debs Park Los Angeles
Escondido Canyon Park Malibu
Franklin Canyon Park Beverly Hills
Fritz and Alma Meier Nature Preserve Topanga
Fryman Canyon Park Studio City
Garden of the Gods Chatsworth
Getty View Trailhead Los Angeles
Great Heron Gates at Rattlesnake Park Los Angeles
Griffith Park Los Angeles
Hahamongna Watershed Park (formerly Oak Grove Park) Pasadena
Hansen Dam Recreation Area Lakeview Terrace
Happy Camp Canyon Regional Park Moorpark
Hellman Park Whittier
Henderson Canyon Glendale
Henry Thomas Hazard Park Los Angeles
Hollywood Bowl Overlook Los Angeles
Joel McCrea Wildlife Preserve Thousand Oaks
Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area Los Angeles
La Jolla Valley Natural Preserve,
Point Mugu State Park Malibu
La Piedra State Beach Malibu
La Tuna Canyon Park Sun Valley
Lake Piru Piru
Las Casas Grenola Pacific Palisades
Las Virgenes View Park Calabasas
Laurel Canyon Park Studio City
Lechuza Beach Malibu
Leo Carrillo State Park & State Beach Malibu
Los Angeles River Center & Gardens Los Angeles
Los Angeles River Greenway Los Angeles
Los Encinos State Historical Park Encino
Los Robles Open Space Thousand Oaks
Lower Arroyo Seco Recreation Area Pasadena
Lower Scholl Canyon Park Glendale
Malibu Bluffs Malibu
Malibu Canyon Piuma Ridge Malibu
Malibu Creek State Park Calabasas
Malibu Lagoon State Beach Malibu
Marsh Park Los Angeles
Marvin Braude Mulholland Gateway Park Tarzana
Maywood Riverfront Park Maywood
Mentryville Santa Clarita
Michael D. Antonovich Open Space Santa Clarita
Michael D. Antonovich Regional Park at Joughin Ranch Chatsworth
Mulholland Scenic Parkway and Corridor Los Angeles
Nancy Hoover Pohl Overlook Studio City
Newhall Pass Trailhead Newhall
Nicholas Canyon County Beach Malibu
North Ranch Open Space Westlake Village
O'Melveny Park Granada Hills
Oak Park Simi Hills
Old Agoura Park Agoura Hills
Oso Park Los Angeles
Palisades Park Santa Monica
Paramount Ranch Agoura
Peter Strauss Ranch Agoura
Pico Canyon Santa Clarita
Piuma Overlook Malibu
Placerita Canyon Park and Nature Center Newhall
Point Dume State Beach Malibu
Point Mugu State Park Malibu
Powder Canyon La Habra Heights
Ralph C. Dills Park Paramount
Ramirez Canyon Park Malibu
Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa Newbury Park
Red Rock Canyon Park Topanga
Reyes Adobe Park Agoura Hills
Richard Lillard Outdoor Classroom Studio City
Ritter Ranch Palmdale
River Garden Park Los Angeles
Robert H. Meyer Memorial State Beach Malibu
Rocky Oaks Malibu
Rocky Peak Park Simi Valley
Rocky Pointe Park Simi Valley
Runyon Canyon Park Los Angeles
Saddletree Ranch Trailhead Sylmar
Sage Ranch Park Simi Valley
San Vicente Mountain Park Encino
Santa Clarita Woodlands Park Santa Clarita
Santa Monica State Beach Santa Monica
Santa Susana Pass State Historical Park Chatsworth
Schabarum Regional Park Rowland Heights
Seminole Overlook Malibu
Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area Encino
Steelhead Park Los Angeles
Stetson Ranch Park Sylmar
Stone Canyon Overlook Los Angeles
Stoney Point Chatsworth
Stough Canyon Nature Center Burbank
Summit Valley Edmund D. Edelman Park Topanga
Sycamore Canyon Whittier
Sycamore Cove Beach
(Point Mugu State Park) Malibu
Tapia Park Calabasas
Tapo Canyon Regional Park Simi Valley
Temescal Gateway Park Pacific Palisades
The Groves Overlook Encino
Thornhill Broome Beach
(Point Mugu State Park) Malibu
Top of Topanga Overlook Topanga
Topanga State Beach Malibu
Topanga State Park Topanga
Trebek Open Space Los Angeles
Triunfo Creek Park Westlake Village
Tuna Canyon Park Malibu
Universal City Overlook Studio City
Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space
Preserve (formerly Ahmanson Ranch) Calabasas
Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park Agua Dulce
Verdugo Mountain Park Glendale
Verdugo Mountains Open Space Preserve Glendale
Westridge-Canyonback Wilderness Park Encino
Whitney Canyon Santa Clarita
Whittier Narrows Recreation Area South El Monte
Wilacre Park in Fryman Canyon Studio City
Wildwood Canyon Park Burbank
Will Rogers State Beach Pacific Palisades
Will Rogers State Historical Park Pacific Palisades
Wilson Canyon Park Sylmar
Wood Ranch Open Space Simi Valley
Zuma County Beach Malibu
Zuma/ Trancas Canyons Malibu

Welcome to California Red Light Cameras

Thanks for visiting. The purpose of this blog is provide news about California red light camera units. While I am new to blogging, I will attempt to bring my readers the latest information about photo enforcement within the Golden State.