By Sara Beth Williams–
The Citrus Heights City Council voted on Wednesday evening to approve the renewal of a three-year contract with Verra Mobility for red light camera enforcement throughout the city.
The Citrus Heights Police Department first implemented the Red-Light Photo Enforcement Program in 2008 under Redflex Traffic Systems, Inc. Currently, there are signal cameras capturing 10 approaches at eight intersections within the city. Since the last contract renewal, Redflex Traffic Systems, Inc., has transitioned to Verra Mobility, the city said.
The contract with Verra Mobility will cost $4,349.69 per month per designated intersection approach for the existing 10 approaches for a total annual contract cost of just under $522,00, plus negotiated cost of living adjustments after the first year.
The monthly fee provides for the camera installation, maintenance, technology upgrades, and initial review of incidents. Verra Mobility does not receive any share of citation revenue, the city said. Instead, citations generated by the program are processed through the court system and revenue is shared with the city on the same formula as all other traffic offenses.
The contract is also cost neutral. If program expenditures exceed revenue the city receives from the courts, the city will withhold payment from Verra Mobility to ensure there is enough revenue to cover the expenditures.
“This is to ensure that there is no impact to the City’s general fund budget in the event citation revenue cannot cover all the costs of running the program,” the city states.
According to national crash data compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), red-light violations remain a significant contributor to roadway injuries and fatalities in the U.S.
Most recent data indicates that crashes involving running a red light result in 1,000 to 1,100 fatalities annually, along with more than 100,000 injuries each year. A majority of those killed or injured are not the offending drivers, but rather occupants of other vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists,
Statistics indicate that since the photo enforcement program began in Citrus Heights, collisions at the monitored intersections have decreased.
While no data was available on red light violations before 2008, the police department shared data from Sacramento County and the City of Sacramento, comparing red light violation data and resulting consequences both two years before, and two years after the County and the City of Sacramento terminated their red light camera program.
Data shows that while red light cameras were being used, there were 827 collisions due to running a red light in Sacramento County and the City of Sacramento, with 374 of the collisions resulting in injury, including three fatalities. There were also 450 collisions resulting in property damage.
After red light camera enforcement was terminated, the jurisdictions saw a 9 percent increase in collisions with 901, with 385 resulting in injuries, including four fatalities. Collisions resulting in property damage also increased 13 percent to 512.
In Citrus Heights, the eight intersections currently monitored have resulted in 17,000 violations, with roughly 11,000 of those deemed red light violations while making a right turn.
Citation data collected also shows that 17 percent of individuals cited in 2025 were residents of Citrus Heights, compared to 18 percent in 2024.
Citrus Heights Police Chief Alex Turcotte attributed this to local citizens becoming wiser and choosing not to run red lights.
The eight intersections with current enforcement include:
- Antelope Road & Garden Gate Drive
- Auburn Boulevard at Antelope Road
- Greenback Lane at Fountain Square Drive
- Greenback Lane at San Juan Avenue
- Greenback Lane at Auburn Boulevard (two approaches
- Greenback Lane at Sunrise Boulevard
- Greenback Lane at Parkoaks Drive
- Sunrise Boulevard at Oak Avenue (two approaches)
In 2005, the city received an Intersection Safety Prioritization Program (ISPP) report from Kittelson & Associates and Synectics Transportation Consultants. One of the recommendations to improve traffic safety was the installation of red-light cameras at specified locations. In 2007, the City Council approved the implementation of the initial red light camera program.
The original contract was for five years, and the Council has since approved several extensions. The most recent contract ran from July 1, 2021, through June 30, 2026.
