After losing its congestion pricing fight, the Bloomberg administration wants a law to create a network of cameras to catch cars illegally using special bus lanes.

Much like red-light cameras that photograph motorists who drive through traffic lights, the new devices would be installed on up to 50 miles of lanes designated as part of a pilot program across the city for rapid transit buses.

The idea is to keep the lanes open so the buses can move more quickly, city officials said.

A second bill has been introduced that would greatly expand the number of agents who can ticket motorists for blocking intersections.

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"We're still committed to reducing gridlock," Bloomberg spokesman Farrell Sklerov said.

Sklerov couldn't say how much the program would cost or how many cameras would be needed.

The cameras would operate during peak hours on weekdays between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., under the proposal.

Some cameras would be permanent, some would be mobile so they could be moved to various locations, and some would be mounted on buses, city officials say.

As with the red-light cameras, the city would send a summons to owners of the cars caught on film. The violation would be the equivalent of a parking ticket, with no points assessed against the car owner's license.

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