Traffic light cameras on horizon

Photo courtesy of: American Traffic Solutions.

By JANE ROH
Courier-Post Staff

Warning to leadfoots: traffic cameras will soon be tracking drivers who blow through red lights.

Cherry Hill is moving forward with participation in a state pilot program that deploys red light cameras to catch traffic violators. Police will use video footage captured at Route 70 and Springdale Road to issue tickets and warnings.
The township hopes the have the program up and running by the summer.

Council on Monday evening approved a request for proposals for a contractor to install the system.

After assessing a township study and its own study, which included accident data, the state Department of Transportation chose the Springdale intersection out of two proposed by the township.

Red light programs have attracted controversy from civil libertarians, but a 2008 poll conducted by AAA Clubs of New Jersey found that three out of four respondents supported use of the cameras. Residents who frequent Cherry Hill roadways also seemed to approve of the idea.

"There are a lot of people who get away with things when they think they can, so I think the eye in the sky will make everyone safer," said Alan Schuricht of Cherry Hill.

Rob Blatt, a member of the group Sustainable Cherry Hill's alternative transportation task force, said putting more patrol cars on the streets to monitor drivers was too expensive.

"I'm in favor of low-cost ways to do this," he said.

Blatt and several others added that while large intersections like Route 70 and Springdale were certainly heavily trafficked, speeders posed a more pressing problem in neighborhoods.

Susan Colilla, another task force member, said that the privacy component of photos being taken by red light cameras made her "a little uncomfortable," though she predicted that overall extra monitoring of drivers would reduce recklessness.

"If you're obeying the law then privacy shouldn't matter," added Frances Boardley of Camden, who shops in the township.

The vendor in charge of installation and upkeep of the cameras will front the costs, and reap between 10 percent and 25 percent of ticket fines collected. Based on the number of violations observed at the intersection, the township and police expect to collect substantial amounts in fines.

"Everybody winds up making money out of this," said Cherry Hill Police Department spokesman Lt. William Kushina.

Deptford, Glassboro, Gloucester Township, Monroe and Stratford have also been approved for the pilot program.

Reach Jane Roh at (856) 486-2919 or jroh@gannett.com.

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