Politics & Government

West Long Branch Continuing Pursuit of Red Light Cameras

Borough sent out request for proposal for cameras in early March

West Long Branch is continuing its push to add red light cameras to some of the borough's most dangerous intersections.

The borough issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the cameras earlier this month and will likely award a contract at its April 3 council meeting.

A red light camera is a traffic enforcement camera that captures an image of a vehicle which has entered an intersection against a red traffic light. By automatically photographing vehicles that run red lights, the camera produces evidence that assists police departments in their enforcement of traffic laws.

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Sgt. Brian Kramer of the West Long Branch Police Traffic Safety Bureau said the borough was approached about being a town that could use the red light cameras about four years ago.

American Traffic Solutions did a study of some of the major intersections and Kramer said the number of violations were "astronomically high."

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Kramer said if the borough were to participate in the program, red light cameras would likely be added to the intersections at Monmouth Road and Wall Street, Route 36 and Route 71 (Monmouth Road) and Broadway and Route 36.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) would have to approve the borough's use of the cameras before they can be installed.

The borough must apply to be in the DOT's pilot program for the cameras, and there are currently no open slots. If one of the slots opens up, West Long Branch would be placed on a waiting list.

The legislation that allows the red light camera pilot program expires in December, 2014, and that it would have to be extended for more cameras to be installed throughout the state.

Kramer said the vendor chosen by the borough will submit an application for the cameras to the state. He said the borough will not incur any costs for the application to be sent to the state.

He said an automated license plate recognition system would also be part of the borough's red light camera system. This would allow the red light camera to identify if and when a stolen car passes through one the intersections.


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