City of Murrieta Not Rushing to Extend Yellow-Light Intervals

The Murrieta Traffic Commission has been directed to study the feasibility of extending yellow-light intervals at city intersections.

Murrieta City Council held a workshop June 4 on the matter at the request of some residents—namely Diana Serafin, a main proponent of Measure N, which led to the ultimate end of the city’s red-light camera program.

Serafin is of the opinion that longer yellow lights beget less red-light violations and therefore safer intersections.

During the June 4 workshop, Murrieta City Council heard from Jay Beeber, executive director of Safer Streets L.A.

Beeber cited a 2004 Texas Department of Transportation study, which he said showed red-light violations decrease by 53 percent yellow-light intervals are increased by 1 second.

“Red-light violations and crashes occur when yellow lights are set too short for the prevailing speed,” Beeber said. “The average driver goes 7.5 mph over the speed limit.”

Beeber said this means yellow lights need to be at least .06 seconds longer than the state of California minimums, noting even more time is necessary when it comes to heavy vehicles.

City of Murrieta Traffic Engineer Brian Stephenson and Acting City Engineer Bob Moehling were also given the floor during the workshop.

As pointed out by Stephenson, the city currently follows the state-recommended yellow-light interval minimums, which are: 3 seconds in 25 mph zones; 3.2 seconds in 30 mph zones; 3.6 seconds in 35 mph zones; 3.9 seconds in 40 mph zones; 4.3 seconds in 45 mph zones; 4.7 seconds in 50 mph zones; 5 seconds in 55 mph zones; and 5.4 seconds in 60 mph zones.

Stephenson and Moehling recommended keeping the intervals as they are.

“Murrieta, Menifee, Temecula, Wildomar all use the mininum yellow times—and Caltrans,” Stephenson said. “The yellow times were never set by the camera company, they were set by city.”

Changing the intervals at Murrieta intersections could adversely affect neighboring jurisdictions because motorists would become accustomed to longer lights in Murrieta, he said.

Additionally, the city has a 1 second all-red phase at its intersections, which is consistent with its surrounding jurisdictions, he said.

Further, Stephenson said city staff was unable to find any studies showing the effects the changes could have if one community has different intervals.

Murrieta Mayor Rick Gibbs, with the consensus of his council members, said due to the enormity of the decision, the matter should be studied in-depth by the city’s traffic commissioners.

“There are differences of opinion here...this is still an open question,” Gibbs said. “The instructions to the Traffic Commission will be to get into detail...It will be up to the Traffic Commission to conduct as many public hearings as you should.”

Once commissioners reach their vote, the matter will be returned to City Council, he said.

In the meantime, Murrieta police Chief cited other enforcement options they have taken and will continue to take to in an effort to reduce red-light violations.

These include 15 RAT devices already installed at various intersections since 2006 as an augmentation to those not outfitted with the now extinct red-light cameras.

The LED device is attached to the traffic signal head, and then the aimed in any direction to allow an officer to see the amber and red phase of the traffic signal without actually having to look at the signal light from the motorist perspective.

The devices—which allow officers to position themselves in a parking lot or nearby location up to 300 feet from intersections—are said to be safer because it can be dangerous trying to trail a red-light runner from behind, Baray said.

The Police Department purchased the RAT devices using grant funding and revenue from traffic citations, and plans to add more with additional funding in 2013-2014, according to Baray.

The fine for running a red light in Murrieta remains at $490, Baray said. “It is the same as the old camera fine. That is set by the state and that is based on the severity of those violations.”