N.J. red-light cameras back in business

All of New Jersey’s red-light cameras are now certified as operating properly.

Police temporarily halted issuing tickets at 63 of the 85 authorized red-light camera intersections in the Garden State last month while the equipment was checked.

New Jersey Transportation Department spokesman Tim Greeley says engineers have determined the duration of the yellow lights meets the required minimum.

He says the red-light cameras were not shut off during the time they were being certified.

“If someone had run a red light at one of these authorized intersections in the past five weeks during that suspension period, that ticket is valid and will be sent out accordingly by the municipal police department,” Greeley said.

Meanwhile, Cathleen Lewis of AAA New Jersey says the red-light cameras should be used for traffic safety not to raise revenue.

“It should be the very last measure that’s used. You should use every other traffic safety mitigation beforehand,” Lewis said. “In the cases with this particular pilot program, they’ve had to prove that they tried every other possible traffic safety piece, and we hope that’s how it continues if this program is to continue in New Jersey.”

The pilot program allowing the red-light cameras in 25 municipalities continues until 2014 when lawmakers will determine whether it has improved traffic safety and should be extended.

Sen. Mike Doherty, R-Washington, plans to push forward with legislation to ban them.

He says the program is misguided.