Suffolk red-light cameras at full strength

A Suffolk County camera system designed to nab red-light runners is finally at full strength after bad weather and contracting delays had the system operating at fewer than the planned 100 intersections since last summer.

The camera system, which is set up to take eight seconds of footage whenever a motorist runs a red light, was supposed to be at full speed with the devices spread across Suffolk County by July.

Initially, the county had planned to begin installing the cameras in January or February 2010, but a combination of bad weather and a time-consuming bid process delayed the project, officials said.

Since last June, the county has gradually installed the cameras and issued 98,000 citations, according to Suffolk officials.

This week the county released a YouTube video of some of the footage captured by the cameras, including images of school buses and a garbage truck running red lights. The video showed one accident in which one car T-boned another.

Motorists caught by a camera after running a red light face a $50 citation with no points assigned, according to Suffolk officials.

While 7,550 vehicles in Suffolk County have had two violations since the cameras were installed, only 1,135 vehicles have gotten three citations. And fewer still -- 303 vehicles -- have been cited a fourth time.

The New York State Senate transportation committee is scheduled to vote this week on a measure to allow Suffolk and other counties to add cameras at 50 more intersections.

Mark Smith, a spokesman for County Executive Steve Levy, said that depending on the effectiveness of the cameras, the county may add more next year.