Governor Chris Christie today has decided to suspend most of the Red Light Running Automated Enforcement Program (RLR) until towns in the pilot program can certify that the timing on the yellow light signal conforms to the prescribed statute.

21 of the 25 municipalities participating in the program have not obtained independent certification for 63 of the 85 traffic lights in the pilot. For now, 22 of the cameras can still operate as usual.

The 21 affected towns must perform an analysis of their traffic lights. If the analysis shows that the duration of a yellow light meets the minimum timing as required by the law, municipalities will be allowed to issue tickets for violations that occur during the suspension period.

 

WHAT RED LIGHT CAMERAS ARE AFFECTED?

The violation suspension and signal re-certification directives affect all cameras installed at intersections in the following 19 municipalities:

Red Light Camera Programs Halt in NJ
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Brick

Cherry Hill

East Windsor

Edison

Englewood Cliffs

Glassboro

Lawrence

Linden

Monroe

Newark

Palisades Park

Piscataway

Pohatcong

Rahway

Roselle Park

Springfield (Union County)

Stratford

Union Township

Wayne

The order affects one location in each of the following two municipalities:

Jersey City at JFK Boulevard (CR 501) and Communipaw Avenue

Woodbridge at Route 1 and Avenel Street.

The intersections not affected by the directives include one in Deptford, one in East Brunswick, four in Gloucester and one in New Brunswick.

Additionally, 12 of 13 intersections equipped with cameras in Jersey City and three of four intersections in Woodbridge are excluded from the directives.

“The concerns expressed by many who questioned the RLR program were taken into consideration by the Christie administration and suspending the program until towns can certify that RLR signals are properly timed is the right move,” says Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon. “Towns were using this pilot program as auto ticket issuing machines and a way to generate revenue. Improving safety is a laudable goal, but not at the expense of punishing innocent drivers.”

According to New Jersey’s Deptarment of Transportation, 21 of the 25 municipalities participating in the program have not obtained independent certification for 63 of the 85 traffic lights in the pilot. According to the Texas Transportation Institute, a yellow signal, shortened by one second, can increase the number of tickets issued by 110 percent.

For some time, O’Scanlon has been concerned about the timing of the traffic signals. He believes they are intended to create revenue opportunities for municipalities without improving safety as proponents of the law contend. The RLR was signed into law on January 13, 2008, by former Governor Jon Corzine and implemented by that administration. O'Scanlon contends the implementation wasn't done according to the statute - which itself was designed so as not to punish innocent people.

 

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