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Hillsborough Identifies Red Lights That Might Get Cameras

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By RICH SHOPES | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 21, 2008

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office wants to use high-tech cameras to catch the county's worst red-light runners, and it knows exactly where to find them.

The office blamed 439 crashes, including one fatality, on red-light running last year. Here are the 10 worst intersections, where cameras will go if county commissioners approve the idea next month:

•North Dale Mabry Highway and North Lakeview Drive

•North Dale Mabry Highway and West Waters Avenue

•East Lumsden Road and Bryan Road

•East Hillsborough Avenue and Harney Road

•West Linebaugh Avenue and Henderson Road

•Providence Road and Town Center Boulevard

•U.S. 41 South and Gibsonton Drive

•West Brandon Boulevard and North Kings Avenue

•East Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and South Kingsway Road

•East Fletcher Avenue and Interstate 275

The cameras might be expanded to other intersections. Commissioners haven't figured out the fines for running a red light, but no points would be added to a driver's record and insurers wouldn't be contacted.

Invention Aims To Annoy

An Arizona man says his invention could stop teens from using cell phones while driving.

Jeff Bales' Cell Coach emits a 90-decibel buzz when a cell phone is activated within five feet; not dangerous but just loud enough, he says, to be annoying to someone texting or talking on a cell.

The device, about the size of a mobile phone, attaches under the driver's side dash.

Whether the product is a hit with parents remains to be seen.

Bales started his Web site, www.cellcoach.com, in December and he's still working on packaging and distribution. At $199, the Cell Coach isn't a bargain, but Bales said he plans to cut prices in half to jumpstart sales.

He said got the idea last summer after five teens were killed in a car while the driver was using a cell phone. A couple of weeks later, he fashioned his first Cell Coach out of parts from electronics shops and Web sites. He's hoping to market the product through driving-safety programs.

"The problem of teen cell phone use is huge. Maybe this will help," he said.

Selmon Bridge Fix To Shut Ramp

Heading east on the Selmon Crosstown Expressway? Starting Jan. 28, the eastbound on-ramp at 50th Street will be closed to allow workers to repair the concrete bridge over the street.

Motorists who want to head east on the expressway will be able to use the on-ramps at 39th Street and U.S. 301.

The project, which is expected to last a month, will allow workers to start the second phase of the project to replace the bridge's concrete decking.

Left-Turn Lane Needed

Tom Jones of Valrico wrote recently that East Lumsden Road needs a left-turn lane at Valrico Road. The intersection routinely gets jammed during afternoon rush hour as cars heading east get stuck behind vehicles waiting to turn left onto Valrico.

"And the volume of traffic is getting greater on Lumsden," he said.

Hang in there, Tom. Doug Beam, a senior engineering specialist at the county, said left-turn lanes will be added to the intersection approaches, but not until next year.

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