State office demands Apopka switch back to shorter yellow-light time

APOPKA, Fla. — The city of Apopka made its yellow lights a second longer to give drivers the benefit of the doubt in red light camera intersections.

But Thursday, WFTV is working on finding out why the state office in DeLand is demanding the city switch those lights back.

Emails were exchanged between city of Apopka leaders and officials at Florida Department of Transportation. FDPT leaders say Apopka needs to go back to shorter times and that the new, longer light times have not been approved.

"But we've consulted our attorney and our attorney feels we are within our rights to keep it where it's at," said Chuck Vavreck with the city of Apopka.

In the emails, the city engineer said one of his concerns was that people speed along State Road 441, and adding an extra second gives them more time to slow down for the light.

"We're the ones that are responding to the accidents. We're the ones that are investigating the accidents and we're going to do what's right and best for the citizens of Apopka," said Vavreck.

FDOT officials wrote in an email to the city that he too is concerned about safety. However, he thinks the change in yellow-light times goes against their effort to have consistent times throughout the state.

The FDOT official also said even though Apopka's new times still fall within the required range, they won't approve the change without a new traffic study focusing on that extra second.

"We're talking about lots of money and unneeded money to spend," said Vavreck.

WFTV