(Looks like I missed this one...)
Hackensack leaders still want red light camerasFriday, October 12, 2012
BY CAESAR DARIAS
CORRESPONDENT
Hackensack Chronicle
The City of Hackensack is attempting to move forward with a plan to install red light traffic cameras, a measure officials say will improve vehicular and pedestrian safety, and may also provide police with a crime solving tool.
The wait, however, may be a long one. The state Department of Transportation is currently not approving new applications as it continues a five-year pilot program through Dec. 16, 2014 at 85 intersections in 25 municipalities, including Englewood Cliffs and Palisades Park in Bergen County, and Wayne Township in Passaic County.
"As of right now there is no current plan to expand that program," said Tim Greely, spokesman for DOT. "We reserve the right to expand."
"It's certainly disappointing because we can't move ahead," said City Manager Stephen Lo Iacono when told of DOT's policy.
According to Greely, a yearly evaluation report to the Legislature is due in November. If DOT decides to expand beyond its cap of 25 municipalities, each municipality's application will be evaluated individually rather than a first-come, first-served basis. Permission will be granted "based on crash history and the number of summonses issued at each intersection," said Greely.
"I welcome that," said Lo Iacono. "I'm very confident that we would certainly qualify. As far as our end is concerned, we've done everything we need to do."
Interim Chief Tomas J. Padilla agreed, expressing similar sentiments during the city's Committee of the Whole meeting on Oct. 2. "We're giving them whatever data they need from us so that we can be ready to go, if and when it is approved," he said.
A 29-page contract with Phoenix-based Redflex Traffic Systems was approved by the city council and later signed by Lo Iacono on Sept. 6, 2011.
The pilot program has seen its share of controversy.
In June, DOT ordered 21 municipalities to cease issuing summonses at 63 intersections until they could certify that yellow light duration times complied with the legally required formula.
According to a DOT press release, the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices "requires a minimum duration of the yellow light to equal one-tenth of the posted speed limit on the approaching road."
DOT provides this example: "Where the approaching road has a posted speed of 40 miles per hour, the signal must display yellow for a minimum of four seconds. NJDOT rounds up to the nearest whole second, so in instances where the approaching speed limit is 45 miles per hour, the signal displays a yellow light for five seconds."
Moreover, "The formula requires a yellow signal of at least three seconds if at least 85 percent of the approaching traffic travels at speeds of 25 miles per hour or less."
Some legislators are trying discontinue or modify use of cameras. Two bills were introduced in the state assembly last month. One would repeal the pilot program and would "[prohibit] municipalities from using similar systems to detect violations of traffic control signals in the future."
The second proposal seeks detailed information for the public, and establishes standard and increased duration for amber lights.
"We did not feel they were promoting safety," said Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle, D-Englewood, co-sponsor of both bills. "There was more profit than safety."
"The [second bill] would require DOT to provide clear guidelines," said Huttle. "It requires them to provide it on their web site. If you get a summons in the mail today, it's not timely. It may be a month or two later and it doesn't describe what the violation is."
Huttle also complained that many drivers are issued violations for making a right turn on red. Her bill would reduce the penalty for failing to fully stop before turning on red from $85 to $20. "We want to make it fair so that drivers are aware of what's being done."
"The most important thing is the safety issue," said Padilla. "I know there's been some concern by some that it's a revenue generator."
According to numbers obtained through an Open Public Records Act request, the Hackensack Police Department reports that as of Sept. 17, 44 pedestrians and nine bicyclists were injured this year. There were no fatalities.
Last year, 56 pedestrians and nine bicyclists were injured. One pedestrian was killed.
And in 2010, 57 pedestrians and eight bicyclists were injured. There were no fatalities.
Under terms of the contract, Redflex would pay the city a monthly fixed fee of $3,900 per camera for the first 125 paid citations and $11.99 for each additional citation. There is a yearly cost of living increase based on the Consumer Price Index.
According to Padilla, red light cameras can also help to solve crimes.
"There have been instances in other places where the cameras have served a law enforcement role where they caught a traffic accident, a hit and run, where they caught a plate as it went by," said Padilla. "It does have some added, positive effects."
Because DOT approval is based on criterion such as traffic volume, the city is targeting three intersections including Passaic Street and River Street.
Email: hackensack@northjersey.com