Gloucester Township has collected more than $2.5 million in fines through tickets issued from 10 red-light cameras positioned at four intersections along Blackwood Clementon Road from July 2010 through December 2011, with local revenue of more than $1.3 million.
The township is one of about two dozen municipalities in New Jersey approved to utilize the red-light cameras under a pilot program since late 2008.
The decision to take part in the program was made here in early 2010, at least in part to increase traffic safety along Blackwood Clementon Road, according to officials.
But there was another reason—one that many might not consider when thinking about the cameras—Mayor David Mayer said this week.
"We had to try to slow traffic down. And we had to do that for a number of reasons," Mayer said. "One is safety. The other is economic development. Traffic just flowed too quickly through there. As you can see, that corridor is not thriving."
The theory behind that line of thinking is that alert motorists, concerned about getting a ticket for blowing a red light, will drive at lower speeds and take notice of the businesses around them.
"The traffic-light cameras certainly, I think, have got the attention of motorists," Mayer said.
The cameras are operational at Blackwood Clementon Road's intersections with Cherrywood Drive, Little Gloucester Road, Erial Road and Millbridge Road.
The numbers
Between July 2010 and December 2011, a total of 38,766 traffic tickets were issued to motorists as a result of driving actions captured by the cameras and deemed illegal by police, according to data obtained by Gloucester Township Patch via an Open Public Records Act request.
From those 38,766 tickets, a total of 29,761 guilty pleas or verdicts had been reached as of Jan. 30, when Gloucester Township Municipal Court Administrator Patty Carroll responded to the OPRA request.
The township keeps $73.50 of every $85 fine attached to guilty pleas or verdicts reached as a result of red-light camera tickets, according to Business Administrator Tom Cardis. The remaining $11.50 is sent to the state.
Under its agreement with Arizona-based American Traffic Solutions Inc., which installed its cameras and related equipment for the township in 2010, the township pays $4,750 per camera per month, for an annual total of $570,000 for the 10 cameras.
After passing along the state's $342,251.50 share of the total $2,529,685 collected, the township still had $2,187,433.50 in revenue left over from the 29,761 tickets issued under the red-light camera program's first 17-plus months.
For July 2010 through December 2011, the township paid American Traffic Solutions $855,000 for its cameras, based on the $47,500 per month fee.
The township's final take from tickets issued through the end of 2011 stood at $1,332,433.50 as of Jan. 30, based on the information the municipal court administrator provided Patch.
Increasing traffic safety?
It does appear motorists have adjusted their driving habits as a result of the red-light cameras.
In the four-month period between July 24, 2010, when tickets were first issued from the camera system, and Nov. 29, 2010, a total of 14,844 tickets (an average of about 3,710 per month) were issued, while just 23,922 tickets were issued over the next 13 months (an average of about 1,840 per month).
As Mayer noted, the township has put up more signs warning motorists of the red-light cameras than is required under state laws governing the technology's use.
And while it would be hard for officials to deny that the potential for revenue was a consideration in green-lighting the red-light cameras, it does appear early in the five-year pilot program that the cameras have made Blackwood Clementon Road safer as officials had hoped.
The last data Patch received from the Police Department regarding crashes at the four camera-monitored intersections covered the periods of July 24-Nov. 29, 2009, and July 24-Nov. 29, 2010.
From 2009 to 2010, there was a roughly 20 percent reduction in crashes, from 55 in 2009 to 44 in 2010.
Police Chief W. Harry Earle has told residents at recent Township Council meetings that analysis is being conducted on crashes at the four camera-monitored intersections.
Not all residents are convinced the red-light cameras are making Blackwood Clementon Road safer.
Darren Gladden, who ran for Township Council as an independent candidate last year and routinely speaks during Council's bimonthly meetings, is among them.
"It's also causing accidents," Gladden said during the Jan. 23 Council meeting. "Because everybody's scared to get an $85 ticket, they're slamming on their brakes and the people behind them are smacking them."
Gladden, who admitted he's been on the receiving end of tickets from red-light cameras in South Jersey on three occasions, is also concerned flashes from the cameras at night startle unsuspecting drivers.
"Some people panic. And if you're in the middle of the road panicking after you see a flash go off, after you just paid two of these tickets, c'mon!" he said.
Tickets generated by red-light cameras are issued to vehicles' registered owners. The tickets do not carry any points against driver's licenses.
All that said still does not change the fact you did the work for the Democrats and then sold out for jobs, and none of it changes the fact that Gladden (your puppet) now has a political payback job for allowing himself to be your spoiler in the council race. Next we the residence will see if Crystal is right when we see what payback jobs you get for your cronies.
Let’s meet a few of the actual appointees from the GT Democrat machine. Starting with David Carlamere: a) Mayor Dave Mayer's lawyer in Gloucester Twp. b) Planning & Zoning Solicitor in Runnemede c) Planning & Zoning Solicitor in Pine Hill d) Planning & Zoning in Berlin Twp. (in which Chris Morris is Council President; Deputy for Camden County; Treasure for the Camden County Democrats) e) Planning & Zoning in Somerdale f) Solicitor Fire District in Pine Hill
Camden County Freeholder Rodney Greco is the IT director for the Gloucester Twp. School District also former GT Councilman.
Dave Bakely, Gloucester Township's Plumbing SubCode Official is making $97,628! His total salary (as of 2010) for his 8 jobs is $137,216! How does he work in GT for $97, 628 and find time for 7 other jobs!!!!! So if you are saying Gladden is part of this, so be it but this is only the tip of the iceberg of machine appointees.
Just remember when the new Governor comes in under your demands you will be looking for new employment yourself as that DMV post is a governors appointment.
For someone who claims to be new to all of this and not sure who all the “players” happen to be, you sure do drop a lot of names in your posts. You also like to attack people personally and act the bully. Shame on you for trying to scare people from having an opinion that is different from your own or those you support.
http://youtu.be/JUfNIcUmFPE
http://youtu.be/WpYeekQkAdc
Unfortunately, the thing that neuters us in this fight is the time required to do this stuff when one has other pressing responsibilities. I know...whine, whine, whine!
The explanation that was lacking was why some people get red light camera tickets and others don't for the same actions. I wouldn't want you to worry your pretty little head about that though so just keep parroting the stated mantra of whomever it is for whom you are fronting.
If you were truly worried about how they worked did you make an appointment to sit down with the Chief to ask? I doubt it. Did you write a letter to ask? Doubt it. Instead you got up and screamed about it at a meeting. Part of living here is being responsible and not irritating your neighbors.
BTW, if you'd bothered to listen you'd know that I didn't ask if the cameras snapped under a yellow light. The question regarded stopping short under a yellow light and over-running the white line and then the possibility of the camera snapping when the light goes red because the car was in the violation zone. Try to keep up, Kalena. Now, please ask you sixth grader to explain to you why a gentlemen two months ago at the microphone stated that his wife stopped short on a right turn after the light went yellow but had transgressed the white line and received a red light traffic ticket. Give it a rest, Kalena...at least until you know the facts and what you're talking about.
It's your right to drive and if you break the law like you have, it’s my right to have safe roads to drive or walk on and thank god our police force keeps us safe from drivers like you who do not believe they should be forced to follow the laws of our state. I've have stated before and will again if you don't follow the law I do not believe red light cameras go far enough in making sure you drive safely. They should carry points just like as if a police officer pulled you over. It is the owner of the vehicles responsibility to make sure a responsible driver uses their car, if the camera cannot identify who was driving the vehicle the owner should receive the points as they allowed an irresponsible driver to use their car. If you give your keys to someone and they go out drinking and drive drunk and kill someone the owner can be charged as well as the actual driver with a DWI and possibly manslaughter as well they can be sued. The red light tickets should be no different. People like Gladden make the best argument that type of enforcement is needed.
"...it’s a right and a privilege to own a dog and a gun..." "It’s your right and privilege to get married..." It's either a right or a privilege; now, which is it? Webster would probably go a long way in helping you understand the difference. BTW, if you knew anything about the Law of the Land, some people call it the Constitution, you'd know that it is our right to bear arms. A right should never be confused with a privilege that the state extends to me as if it wasn't mine already. The fact that the State is encroaching on our rights is part of a much bigger problem.