All 63 intersections in New Jersey where red-light cameras came under scrutiny last month for alleged timing problems have been cleared, the state's transportation department said Wednesday.
The ruling means towns can resume handing out summonses to motorists, including those who committed violations during the re-testing period. The pilot program had been suspended in 21 towns on June 19 after New Jersey's Department of Transportation said yellow lights at those intersections may have been calibrated in a way that didn't allow drivers enough time to brake safely.
The DOT announced that all the towns had submitted re-certification documentation that the lights were timed in accordance with the state legislation that established the program in 2008.
"Each affected municipality has conducted the requeste
traffic analysis and provided their re-certifications to NJDOT via a professionally licensed municipal engineer," the DOT said in a statement. "In each case, the results have confirmed that the duration of a yellow light at the authorized intersection meets the minimum duration as required by the legislation."
The DOT said it has informed towns affected by the suspension that they can resume issuing summonses, including for violations committed since the program was suspended.
The red-light cameras have been responsible for the towns' issuing millions of dollars in tickets, from smaller towns such as Monroe Township in southern New Jersey that have cameras at one intersection to Newark, the state's largest city that has cameras at 19 intersections.
Local officials have said the cameras have been effective at reducing accidents; Newark's traffic director said last month that accidents had fallen 74 percent at a busy downtown intersection where the first red-light camera in the state was installed in 2009.
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