red light cameras

The problem of cars evading speed, red-light and bus-lane cameras with defaced or covered plates has gotten markedly worse — with more than 7 percent of plates that triggered automated enforcement cameras last summer proving to be unreadable.

The Council member wants to require the Department of Transportation to issue monthly reports detailing how many times a city speed or red-light camera was foiled because a driver had defaced or covered his or her plate.

The nation's capital is poised to become the second major city in the United States to repeal a dangerous law that allowed drivers to make right turns at red lights — and some advocates believe other communities are overdue to follow.

"This is four-dimensional chess," said one lawmaker. "We're negotiating with the Council, with both houses of the legislator and with the executive. To play four-dimensional chess with new and novel pieces was difficult."

"It's just unbelievable that we are here trying to convince Albany to give us the speed cameras we need that has proven to be successful. The numbers are so clear on how these cameras are helping us," Adams said.