Another local city is looking to make some changes when it comes to its red light camera program.

New Port Richey implemented the program three years ago and it had some unforeseen issues. It happens dozens of times a day in New Port Richey, drivers racking up ticket after ticket.  

“When it started off the number of tickets per month was somewhere around 11 or 12 hundred a month,” said New Port Richey Police Chief Kim Bogart.

But the city has run into some technical problems because of all the construction on U.S. 19.

“Some of our sensors have been interrupted as a result of that so we’re not catching as much,” said city manager Debbie Manns.

So far this year the average number of tickets is around 870 a month down from previous years.  

Last year the city raked in 1.2 million in tickets but paid more than half to American Traffic Solutions in payments of $47,000 a month.

“It is still a very high expenditure to the city and if we can get the expenditure down than that’s to the cities advantage,” said Manns.

Unlike cities trying to scrap the program like St. Petersburg, the city is hoping to keep the program with some modifications. For instance, when its cameras are down for repair.

“If there’s a variance in between when we report it to the company and when they get out to fix it there should be some credit,” said Manns.

The city says no one is disputing that the program is encouraging better driver behavior.  

“I believe that by having the red light cameras and the public having the knowledge that they’re out there it tends to make them more conscientious and safe drivers,” said Chief Bogart.  

However both the city and police department hope to get a better gauge on realistic ticket figures on whether it is people driving better or if the construction is skewing the numbers.

The city is meeting with American Traffic Solutions Friday morning in hopes to make provisions to its contract. Its contract is up next year.