By Mike Russo
And though many local officials have touted the cameras as a life-saving initiative, others see them as a money-making scheme, pushed through during a time when the county is struggling financially.
Red-light cameras, which snap photos of license plates of motorists who run lights, were first proposed by state Sen. Charles Fuschillo (R-Merrick) — who represents Baldwin — and County Executive Tom Suozzi in April 2007, at a press conference at the entrance to the Sunrise Mall in Massapequa, an intersection at which county officials estimated 40 accidents in a five-year period that could have been avoided if motorists had obeyed the traffic light.
The bill failed to make it through the state Assembly in 2007 and 2008, but gained steam this year after Suozzi announced that he was looking to incorporate revenue from motorists ticketed for running red lights as part of his plan to close a $130 million budget gap expected in 2009.
The Legislature voted in favor of sending a Home Rule Message to Albany on March 31, which requested that the state accelerate its vote on the red-light camera initiative prior to the vote on the 2009-10 state budget.
According to county officials, the cameras, which are expected to be installed within six months, will bring Nassau about $3 million in 2009, and about $12 million on an annual basis.
But many say that most dangerous intersections have unique traffic patterns, and cannot be regulated by red-light cameras alone.
Robert Sinclair, media relations manager for the New York AAA, said the organization supports the cameras as a measure to help prevent auto accidents, but added that the cameras alone won't solve the problem. According to Sinclair, studies must be done at the intersections to make sure that
yellow-lights are timed correctly for the speed and volume of traffic passing through. It is during such “amber times†that motorists will make a choice either to go or stop, Sinclair said, and either decision can be dangerous. Motorists stopping too short will cause motorists to crash into them, while those who speed up may hit cars passing through the intersection.
"[The traffic cameras] must be properly engineered," said Sinclair. "The main use of red light cameras should be for deterrent effect."
Sinclair added that about 70 percent of New York AAA members have supported the camera legislation for some time, and he said he was suspicious of the timing of the bill's passing — during a period of economic decline.
"We do worry about some municipalities trying to use this as a revenue enhancement," said Sinclair. "As soon as the economic crisis hits, boom! It does give the appearance that they're doing it simply for revenue enhancement."
Woodmere resident Fred Gefen said he feels the cameras are more of a surveillance tool, and that there are many flaws with them. For one, he said, he has heard about motorists getting tickets for not coming to a complete stop before making a right on red.
"Whatever improvement there may be seems to be offset by the increase in rear end collisions from people who know the cameras are there and stop short," said Gefen. "This is just another way to separate us from our rights and money."
County Legislator Joe Scannell (D-Baldwin), who chairs the Legislature’s Public Safety Committee, said he felt that the cameras would certainly improve traffic conditions, citing statistics presented to his committee at a hearing several months ago. Scannell said he didn’t share the opinion of those who argue that the cameras will create a more dangerous traffic situation. “I definitely don’t agree with that,†he said. “Studies have shown that people drive safer as a result of those cameras being there. [The cameras] are going to help make our roads safer, and that’s why I support them.â€
In 2007, county officials released a list of 50 high-risk intersections in Nassau County where they felt the cameras would be most useful. Four roads crossing Grand Avenue in Baldwin were named: Atlantic Avenue, Seaman Avenue, Stanton Avenue and DeMott Avenue.
Officials said that the list is not final, and may be changed within the next several months.
Comments about this story?MRusso@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 283.
