Red Light Cameras to be Reinstated
Cameras will issue summonses for offenses that occurred during the suspension period.
The days of blowing through red lights without consequence are soon coming to a close.
The red light cameras suspended last month throughout New Jersey, including Springfield, have been re-authorized.
After a directive from the New Jersey Department of Transportation, 21 municipalities have provided re-certifications for the cameras. The announcement confirms the red light cameras’ yellow light timing, the issue that caused the state to suspend them, is in accordance with the formula specified in the legislation.
On Tuesday, June 19, the New Jersey Department of Transportation announced it was suspended ticketing from red-light cameras in 21 of 25 municipalities it approved to use the technology, including Springfield.
The DOT ordered ticketing suspended 63 of 85 camera-monitored intersections statewide after it learned the pilot program's legislation's formula for the proper length of the signal's yellow light differs from the legally required, nationally accepted formula used by the DOT and the state's municipalities.
Local officials said the announcement will not mean changes in the short term.
"Springfield never started issuing summonses," Springfield Mayor Ziad Shehady said in an email. "This didn’t affect us like it did other towns. A date has not been determined when summonses will begin to be issued and we are awaiting further communication from the State."
According to a DOT announcement, the transportation organization ordered the suspension at the affected intersections because the pilot program legislation specified a formula to determine the proper duration of the yellow light in a traffic signal that differs from the legally required, nationally accepted formula that NJDOT, counties and municipalities use when installing traffic signals.
Each municipality conducted traffic analysis requested by the DOT and provided their re-certifications to NJDOT through a licensed municipal engineer. The results have confirmed that the duration of a yellow light at the authorized intersection meets the duration required by law.
The municipalities affected by the suspension were informed that they can continue issuing violation summonses, including for violations that occurred during the suspension period.
American Traffic Solutions, the company that installed the cameras said the announcement “confirmed what we’ve known all along.”
“All of the approaches monitored by ATS’ red-light safety cameras are now, and have always been in compliance with both state and federal yellow light timing standards,” ATS reps wrote. "Overall, New Jersey’s red-light safety camera programs have been an overwhelming success. Violations, side impact collisions, injuries and fatalities as a result of red-light running continue to fall."
Jim
12:14 pm on Friday, July 27, 2012
Cameras can't stop the real late runners, who cause the crashes. (If cameras worked, sellers wouldn't have the crash videos they show us.)
A real late runner (2+ secs. late) doesn't do it on purpose. He doesn't know (a visitor) or doesn't remember (a distracted or impaired "local") that there's a camera up ahead, so the presence of a camera won't stop him. To cut these real late runs, identify your worst intersections and improve the visual cues that say, "signal ahead." Literally! Florida's DOT found that painting "signal ahead" on the pavement cut running up to 74%. Also make the signals bigger in diameter, add backboards, put brighter bulbs in the street lights over the intersection, and put up a lighted name sign for the cross street. Add a signal pole on the NEAR side of the corner, if you can afford it.
Cameras have side effects: They (indirectly) block emergency vehicles - drivers stopped at a camera hesitate to get out of the way! Other side effects: Rearenders, local $$$ sent to Oz, AZ or Goldman-Sachs, where it won't come back, tourists and shoppers driven away.
Want safety, no side effects?
Install the visual cues.
To cut car/pedestrian accidents, train your kids (and yourself) not to step out just 'cuz the walk sign came on.
To cut nuisance running (a split sec. late), lengthen the yellows. It's cheap to do so can be done all over town. (Adding 0.4 sec. drops nuisance running by 50%.)
Who needs cameras and their side effects?