Traffic camera proposal splits state lawmakers
By Mike Leidemann
Advertiser Transportation Writer
Never mind the details. When it comes to traffic cameras again, it's the big picture that bothers some people.
State and city officials who have revived the idea of photo enforcement of local traffic laws say the new effort will address many of the problems that made a previous camera project reviled throughout the state.
Opponents aren't buying into the changes.
"I don't care what changes they make. It's still not right. It's just wrong," said Rep. Kika Bukoski, R-12th (Upcountry Maui).
Two years after the state abandoned its three-month experiment with traffic cameras, the idea continues to stir heated, emotional debate at City Hall, the state Legislature and around town.
The traffic camera proposal revived at the state Legislature last week following a number of high-profile traffic accidents would be very different from the 2002 effort, supporters say.
Among the changes, the new bill would:
• Give counties the authority to use cameras if they choose, instead of establishing a statewide law.
• Put the cameras on poles in fixed locations, rather than inside the roving vans that gave rise to the "van cam" nickname, or its more bitter partner, "Talivans."
• Limit tickets to those who run red rights at intersections or engage in "excessive speeding" (at least 15 mph over the limit). The old program initially targeted thousands of people going as little as 6 mph over the limit.
• Let police, not a private company, be in charge of the program and return all fines to county officials, rather than to a for-profit operation.
• Require that the cameras identify the driver, not just the vehicle, so that the courts have a clear picture of the accused driver.
That's the rub, opponents say. The cameras, no matter how well regulated, would be an unreasonable invasion of privacy and lead Hawai'i down a dangerous path of eroding civil liberties, they argue.
"The idea of taking a photograph of people driving in their car goes against what a lot people believe about civil liberties," said City Councilwoman Ann Kobayashi.
"That's the overriding principle involved that makes it difficult to deal with," said Kobayashi, who supports using cameras at intersections, but not to catch speeders.
"I'm surprised it's coming back," said Councilman Charles Djou. "The public has spoken very clearly that it doesn't want traffic cameras, and I don't think there's anything we can do to overcome the issue of privacy. I realize that we've had a lot of high-profile deaths late, but it's still a really bad idea."
Councilman Nestor Garcia first floated the idea of traffic cameras two weeks ago in a discussion on ways to address speeding, and last week lawmakers at the state House inserted language authorizing counties to adopt camera programs in a previously unrelated transportation bill.
The bill (SB2344) passed a second reading in the House on Friday, with 10 of the 51 members voting against it and another 12 members supporting it with reservations. The bill was referred to the Finance Committee.
"There are still a lot of people who don't want to touch this hot potato, but we've got to do something to address safety and deter speeding," said Rep. Kirk Caldwell, D-24th (Manoa).
Do something else, opponents say.
Rep. Bud Stonebraker, R-17th (Hawai'i Kai, Kalama Valley) said he would rather see a proposal to increase the number of police officers on roads or the establishment of a highway patrol.
"The idea that we can create safety through increased technology at traffic lights or at the side of the road is a faulty one," he said.
"There are other methods that don't involve a dragnet approach," said Bukoski, who advocates changing the timing of traffic lights to reduce red-light running and increasing penalties and enforcement to reduce speeding.
"If this goes through, there's going to be a camera on every pole watching us. I don't appreciate people taking a picture of me," he said.
The government uses other cameras to monitor public safety and transportation, including video cameras that record highway traffic conditions and illegal activity in Chinatown.
And last week, state transportation policy officials approved a trial project that will use what's known as optical license plate readers to record the travel time of cars on O'ahu highways.
The technology would allow officials to establish, for instance, what time a car left Mililani and what time it arrived in Honolulu. The information will help local transportation engineers plan and evaluate traffic congestion improvement projects, officials said.
Although invasion of privacy issues have been raised in some other areas about the use of license-plate readers, officials said the problem could be addressed here by using a system that reads only part of the plate, preventing an exact identification of the vehicle.
The $471,000 yearlong demonstration project is expected to begin sometime next year.
Reach Mike Leidemann at 525-5460 or mleidemann@honoluluadvertiser.com.
