Automated photo red light and photo radar systems have been used with great success in other countries and states, including New York and California, police traffic Maj. Barbara Wong said.

A bill expected to be introduced this legislative session calls for a three-year demonstration project and sets higher fines for such violations, starting at $100 for the first offense. The current fine for running a red light is $42.

Advocating the systems is a task force composed of police, public transportation, the judiciary and Legislature, neighborhoodboards, the city Traffic Violations Bureau and prosecutors and defense attorneys.

The red-light system provides front and rear photos of a car that enters an intersection against the light, showing the license plate.

Imprinted on the photographs are the time, date, location of the violation, the number of seconds the light had been red before the violation occurred and the speed of the vehicle.

Sensors buried under crosswalks leading to a camera mounted on a nearby pole trigger the system.

If approved, the project will start with three photo red light camera systems, worth $50,000 apiece, Wong said.

"Poles with camera boxes will be set up at various intersections, but the working system will be rotated so drivers won't know which intersection is being monitored," Wong said.

The photo-radar system is mounted on a sport utility vehicle or van parked along the roadside.

Speeds of passing motorists are monitored and when a violation occurs, a high-resolution camera photographs the front of the vehicle, driver's face and license plate. A second camera photographs the back of the vehicle.

The system uses low-power radar with a narrow beam so detectors are ineffective.

Private companies will provide all equipment, process the citations and keep status reports in exchange for a percentage of fines assessed per ticket, police say. The fine increase being proposed in the bill takes into account the vendor fee.

"It's a turnkey program that costs nothing," Wong said. "And it'll serve as a huge deterrent.

Citations will be mailed and fines must be paid to the Traffic Violations Bureau within 14 days upon receipt - similar to a parking ticket. Otherwise, a court summons will follow.

"The potential is unlimited," Wong said. "Cities using the systems have seen their collision rates reduced dramatically and that's the bottom line."

Signs will be posted, alerting drivers that the system is in place.