The Lafayette City-Parish Council will consider on Tuesday an ordinance that would amend the SafeLight violation for turning right at a red light. Currently, the ordinance specifies a civil penalty of $125 — the same as running a red light. The current ordinance also does not distinguish between stopping at a red light and then turning right, which state law allows, and approaching a red light and turning right without stopping. City-Parish President Joey Durel wants to change that.
According to the proposed ordinance, the violation for turning right at a red light without stopping would be lowered to $50; motorists who stop at a red light and then turn right would face no penalty.
The council is also expected to discuss voting to override some or all of Durel’s vetoes to the budget finalized two weeks ago. Durel amended the budget by about $740,000; he cut roughly $1.14 million, killing park improvements, traffic calming and a fire department pay raise, and reinstated $395,000 to install GPS tracking on LCG vehicles. Durel indicated in his veto statement that he will accept whatever decision the council makes on his vetoes.