newjerseynewsroom.com

BY BOB HOLT

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

Governor Chris Christie supported New Jersey’s red light camera program about two months ago, but public and legislative feedback has made him reconsider his position.

The New Jersey governor says the program needs changes, but they can only be done legislatively.

"I can't do anything other than suspend the program,” Christie said, according to thenewspaper.com. “Believe me, this wasn't my idea, so I got no stake in this thing."

Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon sponsored a red light camera reform bill in September. Red Bank-Shrewsbury Patch reported that his measure would increase timing on yellow lights at intersections with cameras by a second. The bill would also reduce fines for right turns on red from $85 to $20, and allow a half-second grace period for cars to pass through the intersection after the signal changes to red.

RELATED

O'Scanlon looks to prolong yellow traffic lights to cut down on tickets

“These legislators wrote this law this way and our job is to enforce the law, but we’re happy to work with him on changes that would make it fairer based on real life experiences that people are now having with the system,” Christie said to NJ 101.5 “We’re ready to work with him so we can get a solution to the problem.”

Christie admits he can’t support an outright ban of the red light cameras without hearing the side of those who proposed them.

“I’d want to talk to the folks who started it to find out why, and whether they would agree to it,” Christie said.