Monmouth County Lawmaker Testing Red-Light Cameras

Assemblyman Declan O'Scanlon has not made any attempts to hide his disdain for New Jersey's pilot program for red-light cameras.

He views the devices as moneymakers, not tools to improve traffic safety, as proponents suggest.

Now, the Monmouth County Republican has hired a Virginia-based professional engineer to time the yellow lights at camera-monitored intersections across New Jersey, including in Gloucester Township, according to the Star-Ledger.

That engineer told the Newark paper yellow lights at two of the four intersections along Gloucester Township's Blackwood Clementon Road are at least a half-second too short, based on his recent analysis as compared to state law mandating yellow light times for camera-monitored intersections.

The engineer, Joe Bahen, of the National Motorists Association, is using a laser to monitor vehicle speeds and video to time the yellow lights.

Bahen also found issues with yellow lights at camera-monitored intersections on Route 70 in Cherry Hill and at two intersections in East Brunswick, the Star-Ledger reported. 

On June 19, the New Jersey Department of Transportation (DOT) ordered ticketing from cameras at 63 of 85 intersections included in the pilot program suspended due to questions over the legitimacy of yellow-light timing. Gloucester Township's intersections were not impacted by the order, as its certifications showed the correct timing formula was being utilized, DOT said.

The temporary ticketing suspension was lifted last week.