The expansion of U.S. 290 in Jersey Village has caused some headaches with commuters, but it has become especially problematic with local law enforcement officials.

Because of the construction, the department removed the 10 red-light cameras that were stationed at key intersections along U.S. 290 as it borders the city limits.

"Seven were removed in April 2013 and three were removed in November 2013 for the 290 expansion," said Jersey Village Police Chief Eric Foerster. "The cameras are totally out of service right now."

The 10 red-light cameras were installed in 2008 as part of a contract with American Traffic Solutions.

Since the cameras were installed, they have recorded more than 150,000 instances of motorists running those red lights.

Some of those cameras could be up and running by the start of the summer.

On Feb. 17, the Jersey Village City Council voted to allow the police department to relocate eight cameras at key points in the city.

Since the cameras were turned off, the city said it has seen an increase of 28 percent in the number of traffic accidents at those intersections, while overall the city has seen a 9-percent increase in traffic accidents.

"You can probably contribute some of those accidents being pushed off to the 290 frontage road or the way they are narrowing the lanes," Foerster said.

"As a result, that increases the accident totals across boundaries of the city."

Since 2007, the city has looked at a number of key intersections away from U.S. 290 as possible locations for these cameras and conducted a comprehensive traffic study of those areas before the cameras were installed along U.S. 290.

"This was done before the current cameras were placed - kind of as a follow-on study," said city manager Mike Castro.

"They analyzed the intersections that we are proposing.

"It's an eyes-on-the-ground affair in the sense that they put someone at the intersection and observe how many are running the red lights, and what are some of the factors that may be responsible."

Foerster said the city has conducted follow-up studies in relation to the impact of the U.S. 290 expansion, and compared it with the first study to determine the locations studied previously are still viable, as well as to determine if the number of accidents are increasing in those areas.

"We are not going to put those cameras where there are zero accidents," he said.

The cameras that will be used at new locations are being shipped to the city, while the remaining cameras that were deactivated are being stored until the construction on U.S. 290 is completed.

"When these cameras are working, it does help hold the accidents down," said Sgt. D.R. Smith, who works patrol for the Jersey Village Police Department.

"This definitely has an impact on what we do."

Between April 18 and Dec. 31, 2012, the city experienced 76 traffic accidents at those key intersections.

During the same time frame in 2013, the number of accidents increased to 97 once the cameras were taken off line.

Overall, the city experienced 430 traffic accidents in 2012 versus 467 last year.

Smith said he anticipates a decline in the number of traffic accidents once the city has completed the relocation and of the red light cameras and turned them back on.

"They will definitely go down once drivers know they are there," he said.

"It will take them a couple of months to realize the cameras are back.

"Then once the 290 construction is over with, we can put the other 10 cameras back where they were."