This needs your immediate attention. Please contact your city councilperson today!
On Thursday, December 7th, Councilman Peduto proposed a great idea to keep Pittsburghers safer – to place cameras at traffic lights throughout the city. These cameras will catch motorists who are jeopardizing our lives, AND fund more bike/ped facilities throughout the city. With this city’s resources being what they are, there is no better way to fund these initiatives than by fining the individuals endangering our lives. If you are concerned with surveillance, these cameras don’t record continuously, they are only triggered when a car illegally runs a red light. Then it only snaps a photo of the plates.
This needs your urgent attention now. This initiative will be debated and decided on in Council on Tuesday, December 12th (Will occur again January 23rd). We must show our support ASAP or it will not pass! Without these revenues it will be much more difficult to make the city safer for bikers and walkers, because otherwise the city lacks the resources to fund bike/ped improvements.
Act now (Monday evening is even too late)! Cut and paste the following message to your Councilperson (first.lastname@city.pittsburgh.pa.us), or create your own message. Please cc: the Mayor (luke.ravenstahl@city.pittsburgh.pa.us), Councilman Peduto (bill.peduto@city.pittsburgh.pa.us) and us (info@bike-pgh.org) on your letter:
Dear Councilman/woman ____:
I am a resident in your council district, and I am a (bicyclist/walker/public transit user/motorist/wheelchair user). I am writing to voice my support for the initiative to place cameras at select traffic lights throughout the city. These cameras would be a wonderful first step to help keep all of us who use the streets safer, and especially those of us who choose to walk and bike. Far too many motorists drive far too fast, drive far too aggressively, and run far too many stop lights without fear of enforcement. It’s time for a change. I ask you to support this initiative to help reduce the number of accidents, injuries, and fatalities, and to start raising funds for use toward additional bicycle and pedestrian enhancements in Pittsburgh.”
Sincerely,
Your Name
Address
phone number
Call or email your elected official TODAY!
» click here if you know who your councilperson is
» click here if you don’t
More resources on Red Light Cameras:
» From The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
» Safety Evaluation of Red Light Cameras
» Info from Transportation Alternatives in NYC
» Our initial blog post and comments on the subject
NEWSLETTER