A judge dismissed two lawsuits Wednesday that could have forced the cities of Chattanooga and Red Bank to pay back millions in traffic camera fines.
“The Tennessee Legislature has granted its municipalities broad authority, in the form of police power, to regulate traffic,” Hamilton County Chancellor Frank Brown wrote in a 12-page ruling. “A municipality has the primary responsibility for enforcing traffic regulations within their city limits as it deems proper.”
PDF: Chancellor’s ruling
Plaintiffs in the lawsuits, which sought up to $10 million from both cities, had argued that traffic cameras in Chattanooga and Red Bank unlawfully existed before the state Legislature allowed the use of cameras in 2008.
Vehicle owners must pay a $50 fine for infractions captured by the cameras.