Drivers who travel through Burien may need to exercise caution when trying to make it through yellow traffic lights in the near future.

City council members discussed at their Jan. 14 study session the installation of traffic signal cameras to catch on film drivers who fail to stop at red lights.

SeaTac and Seattle already use this system and both cities are increasing the number of intersections where cameras are used to nab violators.

The system takes photos of the license plates of vehicles that run red lights or make a free right turn at a red light without stopping. Tickets then are mailed to the registered owner of their owners.

Lawmakers approved last August the establishment of a stoplight camera system in Burien.

Now, Public Works Director Steven Clark reported, an agreement with the Redflex Company has been drafted for installation of between three and 10 cameras in some of the busiest intersections in Burien.

"First, this does reduce accidents and second, it saves labor," City Manager Mike Martin said. "It's something the sheriff's office doesn't have to deal with."

The red light cameras have been used with success in Sea-Tac, Clark noted.

He has worked closely with Sea-Tac officials to find out the benefits they were experiencing from their traffic camera system.

"The tickets from the cameras pay for the (installation) costs," Clark said.

A motion to approve the contract is expected to be voted on at the council's Feb. 4 meeting.

In other business, council members approved the installation of a new water main within the Burien Town Square development between Southwest 151st and Southwest 152nd streets just west of Sixth Avenue Southwest.

Although the public/private partnership agreement for development of Town Square calls for the city to build roads and Urban Partners to pay for construction and installation of utilities, Clark said, "It's good on our part to install the water main needed" in this instance.

"It's just going to make the property more sellable in the future."

Water District 49 officials have advised Clark that an 8-inch pipe will provide an adequate water supply.

He added that developers were waiting on approval to go ahead with construction of the water main on their property.

"This is a time sensitive issue for the contractors so I think it's appropriate to go ahead," Clark said.