Dubuque to Revist Red Light Camera Issue

By Katie Wiedemann, Reporter

Tools

By Aaron Hepker

Story Created: May 11, 2012 at 6:35 PM CDT

Story Updated: May 11, 2012 at 6:35 PM CDT

DUBUQUE, Iowa — After months on hold the city of Dubuque will once again consider installing red light cameras. Earlier this year, the city council decided to hold off on approving the controversial traffic cameras. But now police are bringing them back to the forefront.

The council was waiting to see if state lawmakers would create a state wide law about cities using red light cameras. Now that the state legislative session in over for the year, and nothing happened, Dubuque police say they will pick up where they left off.

It was back in January when police administrators came to the city council with the idea. The council debated the issue but decided to wait until the state made a move. Police have not yet decided at which intersections they would install the cameras.

Either way, that’s not going to happen anytime soon.

City staff would still need to write the ordinance and the council would need to approve three readings in order to get those cameras installed.

When this issue first came up a group of people who oppose red light cameras started a petition to have the issue put to a vote. But the city attorney says, according to state law, citizens don’t have the right to force an issue on to a ballot.