By Robert Hudson

The Selma Times-Journal

For the city of Selma, if one is good then four is even better. That’s at least the approach they are taking when it comes to the installation and operation of red light cameras within the city limits.

Selma already has one camera located at the intersection of Franklin Street and J.L. Chestnut Boulevard and is looking to add three more cameras in the coming weeks.

“In the next part of phase one, we’re looking at northbound at Broad Street and LL Anderson,” Selma Chief of Police William T. Riley said. “After that we’re looking at another camera at Franklin and J.L. (Chestnut) going the opposite way from west to east.”

Riley said phase two of the camera installations would begin with the camera located at Franklin and J.L. Chestnut west to east and another camera located at Dallas Avenue and Hooper Drive.

Riley said the camera located at northbound Broad Street and L.L. Anderson is expected to be up and operational in the next 30 to 60 days.

“Right now the company that works on the cameras (American Traffic Solutions) is in Montgomery finishing up a project,” Riley said. “We’re hoping within the next 30 to 60 days they’ll be back in Selma to complete the Broad and L.L. Anderson intersection camera.”

Riley said the hope is American Traffic Solutions will also be able to work simultaneously on the second camera at Franklin and J.L. Chestnut while working on the camera at Broad Street and L.L. Anderson.

Riley said the citizens will be notified before the cameras are active and the city is ultimately looking to install 10 cameras total.

“We’re hoping that, as these first set of cameras go up, that people will modify their driving habits,” Riley said. “The biggest thing for us with these red-light cameras on the police side is public safety.”

Riley said the hope is for the cameras to stop drivers from running red lights and to help spot criminals.

“Your looking at traffic safety on one hand and you’re looking at the overall public safety on another one when your dealing with other types of crimes,” Riley said. “For us, it’s a win-win.”