Brick Gets More Red Light Cameras

There are more watchful eyes in Brick Township this morning as officials launch more red light cameras. 

Police Captain John Rein tells us the cameras are located at Route 70 and Brick Boulevard.  If you run the light, there’s a 30 day warning period.  After that, tickets are around $85.

The cameras were installed for free by the company reports the Patch of Brick and will be maintained by the company at no cost to the township. In exchange, ATS will share in a percentage of the revenue generated by summonses issued from the cameras. A violation will occur when the entire vehicle crosses the stop line after the light has turned red.

Brick Police view the red light cameras as making roads in the township safer. “The implementation of the Red Light Camera system is one example of this department’s commitment to use technology to improve our effectiveness and efficiency,” said Brick Police Chief Nils R. Bergquist in a prepared statement.

Rein told WOBM’s Ilya Hemlin in March when the expansion of the program was announced, “The numbers speak for themselves, noting that in 2011 the more serious right angle or “T-Bone” crashes fell by fifty percent at the intersections with the cameras.”

The first cameras in township were installed on Brick Boulevard and Chambers Bridge Road February 2010 and the second intersection was Toute 70 and Chambers Bridge Road September 2010.

Opponents of the cameras also see the cameras as a more a money generating tool rather than a true boon to driver safety. Rein says that “when a township begins an action or function that creates a fee it’s will come into the town as revenue, and all summonses, whether they’re the red light violations or any other motor vehicle violation when people pay their fine it creates revenue just as is someone is going to come in to get their dog or cat license.”

He does admit the cameras have been profitable.

“There is a revenue side to this and it has made enough money to cover all of the expenses plus there’s some left over for the township.”

The state keeping approximately $11.50 of the $85 fine and the remaining 73.50 going back to the township. There are no Motor Vehicle or Insurance points and it does not appear onto your driver record.

For 2010, Rein says the gross amount of revenue brought in by the red light cameras was $ 883,830, and the net revenue for the town was $515,053. For 2011 the red light camera program $1,740,655, the net revenue being $502,060.

Ilya Hemlin, Tom Mongelli & Dan Alexander contributed to this report.

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