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Bibb Commissioners discuss adding red light and speed cameras around the county

Commissioner Joe Allen is asking commissioners to support a resolution to begin the bidding process to find a company to install the cameras.

Speed cameras and red light cameras could be coming to several intersections and roads across Bibb County, but it depends on what commissioners decide at Tuesday’s meeting.

When the light changes, it is a sign to slow down and stop, but Bibb Commissioner Joe Allen says unfortunately that is not always the case.

“Running red lights, stop signs, turning right on red… [I] worry about the people that can hit by it, pedestrians. People run red lights, they can hit somebody trying to cross the street,” says Allen.

So, Allen says he is asking commissioners to support his resolution to begin the process of finding a company to install red light and speed cameras across the county.

“If they know we’ve got them they might slow down. Hopefully, they do. If they don’t, they’re going to get a ticket and it’s going to cost them,” says Allen.

It is money that Sheriff David Davis says could go back to the county.

“There would be fines and fees coming in with the citations,” says Davis.

Davis says it could also help the department while they are experiencing a deputy shortage.

“Our deputies can’t be everywhere. The speed cameras and the surveillance cameras and the red light cameras can be a great supplement to the live breathing deputy,” says Davis.

But with the county's budget issues, Allen says they need to make sure they find a good deal like one company he has already talked to.

“They’ve already said they would come in they would put them up for six months. They will not charge us a dime for them,” says Allen.

Then the company and the county would split the revenue that comes in from tickets, but Allen says at the end of the day it is not about money.

“What’s powerful is saving someone’s life,” says Allen.

Allen would not say the name of the company he has talked to, but he says they are planning to offer a bid. Bibb Commissioners would have to approve this resolution at Tuesday’s meeting and again the following Tuesday for the bidding process to begin.

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