BILL NUMBER: S7422
SPONSOR: STEWART-COUSINS
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to the opera-
tion of traffic-control signal photo violation-monitoring devices in
certain intersections in the county of Westchester
 
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this bill is to authorize the County of Westchester to
implement a red-light camera program on certain intersections of the Saw
Mill River Parkway located in the Village of Pleasantville, so long as
the County reaches an agreement to do so with the Commissioner of the
State Department of Transportation.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 of the bill amends the vehicle and traffic law to authorize
Westchester County to operate a red-light camera program at inter-
sections on the Saw Mill River Parkway in the Village of Pleasantville,
so long as the County comes to an agreement with the Commissioner of the
State Department of Transportation regarding the program. These addi-
tional intersections on the Saw Mill River Parkway would not count
toward the existing limit on the number of intersections the County is
authorized to operate red-light cameras at any time.
Section 2 amends the vehicle and traffic law to state that the Comp-
troller shall pay one hundred percent of any fine collected from a red-
light camera program at intersections on the Saw Mill River Parkway in
the Village of Pleasantville to Westchester County.
Section 3 authorizes Westchester County and the Commissioner of the
Department of Transportation to install signs on the Saw Mill River
Parkway notifying drivers that red-light cameras are installed at
certain intersections of the State-owned road. Additionally, this
section authorizes Westchester County and the Commissioner of the
Department of Education to run a public information campaign before the
red-light cameras are used for fines to prepare drivers for the changes
at these intersections.
Section 4 is the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
The Grant Street intersection of the Saw Mill River Parkway, located in
the Village of Pleasantville, has experienced an uptick of drivers
moving through red lights. This uptick has caused at least seventy acci-
dents in the past eleven years, including twenty-seven accidents in
2019. Red-light camera programs have been effective in other jurisdic-
tions in reducing accidents and reckless driving and increasing the
safety of pedestrians. Westchester County seeks the State's permission
to implement a red-light camera system at the Grant Street intersection,
once it has come to an agreement with the Commissioner of the State
Department of Transportation, in order to dissuade drivers of unsafe
driving habits.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
This is a new bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately; provided that the amendments to
sections 1111-g and 1803 of the vehicle and traffic law made by sections
one and two of this act shall not affect the repeal of such provisions
and shall be deemed repealed therewith.

Statutes affected:
S7422: 1111-g vehicle and traffic law, 1803 vehicle and traffic law, 1803(13) vehicle and traffic law