Town Council Green Lights Contract for Red Light Cameras
Business Administrator hopes to have first camera ready by fall.
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The Morristown Town Council voted on a resolution Tuesday, Feb. 8, which would award American Traffic Solutions with the contract to begin the process of installing red light traffic cameras at various intersections throughout town.
The vote was 6-1, with council member Alison Deeb casting the lone dissenting vote.
The red light cameras, as opposed to other cameras already at certain intersections that just adjust the duration of the lights, would monitor for traffic violations, such as running red lights. American Traffic Solutions, based in Arizona, will install the lights at intersections selected following a study, at no cost to the town; ATS would recoup its costs over a period of time through tickets issued by the town for traffic violations. The State Department of Transportation must also approve any intersections selected for the red light cameras before work proceeds.
Business Administrator Michael Rogers said he hoped the first camera could be ready by as early as this fall.
In October, Deeb also spoke out against the red light cameras, saying there needed to be more thought about potential economic impacts she associated with the red light cameras, especially "in these economic times.
"What is the business impact? People need to think about that," she said at the time.
David V
9:14 pm on Sunday, February 20, 2011
I hope that they publicly post the locations where these cameras are installed, so that I can be extra vigilant when people starting slamming on the brakes to avoid a ticket, and so I can check my mirrors before slamming on the brakes myself.
The safety argument is nonsense for Morristown. The data analysis supporting the need for safety cameras was never made public, probably because it was flawed and designed solely to support awarding of the contract to ATS. I really hope they lose their shirt on their "investment".