Bandieramonte
EXCERPT
MINUTES OF THE RED LIGHT CAMERA HEARINGS
HELD IN COMMISSION CHAMBERS CITY HALL, 100 E. BOYNTON BEACH BLVD,
BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA, ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2016, AT 9:00 A.M.
James Stokes, Special Magistrate
Anthony Petriello, Traffic Infraction Enforcement Officer
Officer Anthony Verrigni, Traffic Infraction Enforcement Officer
Mr. Stokes called the meeting to order at 9:08 a.m.
This case was heard at 9:36 a.m.
Christine Bandieramonte Notice No. 1851600084813
Officer Verrigini reviewed on March 12, 2016, at 2:21 p.m., a vehicle registered to the
violator was travelling eastbound on Gateway Boulevard at N. Congress Avenue in the
number two left-turn lane. After a review of the electronic evidence and photographs,
Officer Verrigini issued a notice of violation on March 21, 2016. He had the standard
ATS evidence pack he submitted to Mr. Stokes. Mr. Stokes and Ms. Bandieramonte
viewed the video and still images.
Ms. Bandieramonte thought the light was very short. The light went from green to
yellow to red, and this had happened to her three years ago. She mentioned the light at
rd
SE 23 went for two seconds and after hundreds of people in the neighborhood
contested it, they changed the light to six seconds. She saw the light was yellow and
she started to pass. She was looking at the car in front of her and there was a beige car
trying to make a right turn and traffic coming from the other side. The guy that was in
front of her went through. She was looking at him, the traffic, the light, and she was
making a left turn and could not speed up. If she had, she would have been fine. The
traffic started coming from the other side when she cleared the road. She did not know
why she was penalized. She asked if the light was checked to see how many seconds
it stayed on. Mr. Stokes explained the light was yellow for five seconds, which is one of
the longer lights in the City and it can go down to three seconds. The City Commission
had the lights on the cameras increased by a half a second or more, so most
intersections with cameras have longer yellow lights. In this instance, it was five
seconds. Ms. Bandieramonte noted Congress is a wide street to turn left. In 2013, it
was a very short street and it went to six seconds and she asked why the light on
Congress was not more than five seconds. Mr. Stokes explained the Palm Beach
County Traffic Engineer sets the timing of the lights and the City increased the time at
the intersections with cameras. Mr. Stokes noted five seconds is a long time. Three or
four cars can go through. Ms. Bandieramonte commented there was only one car in
front of her. Mr. Stokes commented the driver in front of her made it over the line and
she did not.
Decision
Mr. Stokes upheld the violation and assessed a fine of $243, payable in 30 days. He
requested she wait for the order to be printed before leaving.