The Philadelphia Parking Authority will be refunding all red light camera fines paid on violations issued between February 11, 2012 and April 13, 2012 at the intersection of Island Avenue and Lindberg Boulevard in Southwest Philadelphia.
According to PPA Executive Director Vince Fenerty, the PPA failed to post the required warning signs at this location when the red light cameras were first activated on December 13, 2011. The warning signs were not installed until February 13, 2012, starting the official sixty day warning period on February 14, 2012.
The Parking Authority’s review of compliance issues at this intersection was triggered by an email inquiry that the PPA received on Friday afternoon from a citizen who was issued a violation at this intersection.
"While the cameras and all other aspects of the program were all functioning properly, the Parking Authority does not believe the red light cameras at this intersection can be considered to have been 'in use' under the law because of the warning sign oversight, until February 14, 2012, the beginning of the official sixty day warning period," Fenerty said.
"Based on that start date for the initiation of the warning period, the date for issuing legal violation notices was April 14, 2012, negating all red light running violations issued between February 11 and April 13, 2012 for this location," Fenerty said.
All red light running violations issued during that sixty-three day period will be converted to warning notices. All fines and penalties that have already been paid will be refunded within 30 days. The cost for a red light camera violation is $100.
Any citizen with questions regarding a violation notice they received or a fine they paid for tickets at this intersection for the period in question, should contact Deborah Clayton at 215-683-9772 or dclayton@philapark.org.
In apologizing for the oversight, Fenerty said, "Red Light Camera Enforcement in Philadelphia has been a tremendous life-saving program since its inception. As a result, there have been an increasing number of requests from citizens, neighborhood civic associations and elected officials who want these cameras installed at dangerous intersections in their neighborhoods and districts."
"This oversight does not negate the effectiveness of the program or call into question its importance to public safety," Fenerty said.
