I read this morning in the Advertiser that ten intersections in Montgomery have been chosen for red light traffic cameras. Two in east Montgomery -- Bell and Vaughn, and Taylor and Vaughn -- are among the lot. A trial period will be in effect through April, then May 1, if you run a red light, a camera will take a photo of your license plate and you'll get a $50 ticket in the mail.

The notion is contentious, and there are cities in the U.S. that have put up red light cameras, only to take them down later. Evidence shows (according to rudimentary research I just did, that lead to articles like this one -- note it's three years old) mixed reviews. While the deadliest, high-speed, broadside crashes go down in number, annoying rear-endings go up because people slam on their breaks at early yellow lights. Ostensibly to avoid becoming a photo subject.

It's clear that revenue for the city goes way up with the cameras, which are installed at no cost to the city... So is it a fleecing?

Our city council voted 5-4 on the issue a year ago, according to the article. But I'm a little puzzled at the intersections that were chosen. (I'm sure some study proved the ten as the most something-- dangerous, feasible, whatever.) These two intersections on Vaughn are certainly very busy ones. However, there is not one red light camera that will be installed on Atlanta Highway. And the most-run light I ever see east of the Boulevard is that of EastChase Parkway and Taylor Road. No cameras.

Meanwhile, the relatively small intersection of Norman Bridge and Fairview Ave. will have the cameras installed. That location over East / Vaughn, or where the Troy Highway meets East South Boulevard.

Of course running red lights ranges from arrogant to fatal. And no ten intersection choices would please all of us. It's just going to be interesting to see how this pans out. I'm still watching how the traffic delineators at the top of the Taylor Road exit are panning out. Some scuttlebutt I've heard recently is that in lieu of the come-and-go plastic poles that line the lane, ALDOT might be considering a concrete barrier.