A bill that would have allowed camera enforcement of bus-only lanes like those planned for roads here got stuck in neutral this week after six state Assembly members pulled a U-turn in deference to a veteran legislator.

Assembly members Matthew Titone (D-North Shore) and Janele Hyer-Spencer (D-Mid-Island/Brooklyn) were among those who co-sponsored the legislation, only to vote to stall it temporarily in the Assembly's Transportation Committee.

The year 2007 may prove to be one of the most important years in the storied history of New York City's development. In a future timeline of urban advances, it might be printed in as big a font and as bold a type as 1811--when the grid system was adopted--or 1904--when the I.R.T. subway opened. The text adjacent to 2007 could say something like "the start of livable streets," or "the bike boom begins," or "congestion pricing kicks off." It may turn out that all of those descriptions may suit 2007. The real question is, in hindsight, will they?

Manual enforcement of speed limits drains the resources of police departments and is difficult to carry out fairly and effectively. Recently, racial profiling has been uncovered as the basis for ticketing minority motorists at higher rates than white motorists. A better solution already in use in other locations is photo radar, an automated system that fairly and effectively enforces speed limits.

Transportation Alternatives, New York City's advocates for pedestrian safety, urged Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver to immediately pass A04111, (http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A04111) a bill enabling the use of speed enforcement cameras in New York City. Speed cameras in Washington D.C. reduced speeding and traffic fatalities by 75% and 30% respectively, over a two year period.

Transportation Alternatives, New York City’s advocates for pedestrian safety, has long urged Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver to immediately pass A04111, a bill enabling the use of speed enforcement cameras in New York City. Speed cameras in Washington D.C. reduced speeding and traffic fatalities by 75% and 30% respectively, over a two year period.