New CDOT head wants red light cams to stay put
Wednesday, Jan 8, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Sun-Times…
The visionary urban planner chosen by Mayor Lori Lightfoot to lead the Chicago Department of Transportation on Tuesday embraced the red-light camera program that motorists love to hate, saying Chicago has turned the page from a $2 million bribery scandal. […]
Gia Biagi told aldermen at her confirmation hearing that Chicago’s 300 red-light cameras have served their purpose in improving driver safety and must remain in place.
“Both red-light and speed zone indicators — through a study we did with Northwestern, I think, in 2017 — we know that they are a deterrent. Speeds do reduce [by] anywhere from 10% to 11%, particularly in areas around parks and schools,” Biagi told the City Council’s Transportation Committee.
“On the corruption side, we feel like we’ve reformed our program and think it’s pretty tight. But we’ll take a look at it and make sure that everything’s kosher.” […]
Mayor Lori Lightfoot campaigned on a promise to audit the city’s network of red-light cameras and “sunset those cameras that are only being used for revenue — not safety.”
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Jan 8, 20 @ 10:54 am:
It’s all about $afety.
- SSL - Wednesday, Jan 8, 20 @ 10:57 am:
Well, as long as it’s ko$her.
- Groucho - Wednesday, Jan 8, 20 @ 11:03 am:
Whether it is about safety or money, if you get a red light ticket, you deserve it.
- A Guy - Wednesday, Jan 8, 20 @ 11:05 am:
They’ll apply the same standards used when removing an ATM.
- Blue Dog Dem - Wednesday, Jan 8, 20 @ 11:06 am:
47th. Good one.
- Anyone Remember - Wednesday, Jan 8, 20 @ 11:12 am:
“Reformed” or not, the ticket$ are not run through the court $y$tem, are not reported to the $ecretary of $tate, and are not reported to in$urance companie$. Nothing to $ee here, move along.
- Ron Burgundy - Wednesday, Jan 8, 20 @ 11:12 am:
If they insist on keeping the cameras, one thing they could do in the interest of fairness is allowing some additional yellow light time. As I recall Chicago is one of the bare minimums for yellow lights (3 seconds?). Apparently some other states legislate how long yellows have to last when cameras are present.
- Moe Berg - Wednesday, Jan 8, 20 @ 11:16 am:
Cars have too much primacy in the city. I’m tired of reading articles about pedestrians and motorcyclists getting mowed down.
And, under current Illinois law, drivers who seriously injure or kill often get a slap on the wrist.
(Of course cyclists need to observe the rules of the road and pedestrians need to pay attention and not have their noses in their smartphones. It’s not always the driver at fault.)
Viciously root out red-light/speed camera related corruption, but there is a legitimate public safety interest behind their deployment.
- revvedup - Wednesday, Jan 8, 20 @ 11:30 am:
…turned the page to the next scandal, unfortunately. If politicians and greedy businessmen hadn’t played with traffic light cycle timing and committed other fraud, a valuable traffic safety tool wouldn’t be in jeopardy. Full disclosure: I was ticketed by a suburban red-light camera. Upon review of the video, I mailed them my payment. No license or plate suspension, no fees or interest. Amazing what taking responsibility can do to eliminate problems. I could have claimed poverty, and the sun was in my eyes, and blah, blah, blah. And I didn’t do it again, rather than racking up up violations and fees. Irresponsibility, just like stupidty, should be painful. In Illinois it’s too often rewarded.
- Just Saying - Wednesday, Jan 8, 20 @ 11:48 am:
Groucho == Whether it is about safety or money, if you get a red light ticket, you deserve it. ==
I got a red light ticket a few years ago and proved it was a rigged light with the turn lane being delayed 2 seconds while the green light for going straight was not. So you see a green light and everyone goes but I get a ticket. They dropped the ticket after I paid it ($100) and gave me back $20, saying the $80 was for administrative costs. Now how is that deserving?
- Drake Mallard - Wednesday, Jan 8, 20 @ 11:50 am:
What makes Gia Biagi ” visionary”? Can she see into the future or tells fortunes?
We need the money hardly sounds visionary.
- City Zen - Wednesday, Jan 8, 20 @ 11:52 am:
If it was about safety, there’d be a red light camera on every corner outside Union Station.
- Skeptic - Wednesday, Jan 8, 20 @ 12:32 pm:
“Speeds do reduce [by] anywhere from 10% to 11%, particularly in areas around parks and schools,”
Ok, fine. How does that relate to red light cameras?
“if you get a red light ticket, you deserve it.” Yes, but… if you get a ticket for going 55.1 in a 55 zone you also deserve it. Now, find me an officer that will write it.
- Da Big Bad Wolf - Wednesday, Jan 8, 20 @ 12:46 pm:
The intersection at Division and Halsted had a red light camera and a countdown light that reaches one two seconds after the light turns red.
- Groucho - Wednesday, Jan 8, 20 @ 12:53 pm:
Just Saying - I stand by my original comment but will add that that is provided the camera is functioning properly
- Latina - Wednesday, Jan 8, 20 @ 12:56 pm:
Of course Gia is another longtime Daley operative just like Arena. Lightfoot how did Arena work out for you? Lightfoot isn’t changing a thing.
- Just Saying - Thursday, Jan 9, 20 @ 9:06 am:
Groucho == Just Saying - I stand by my original comment but will add that that is provided the camera is functioning properly ==
It was working properly as they intended for fraud. So you still stand by your statement that I deserved as ticket because of a rigged camera? Personally I hope you are the next one to get a red light ticket. Just Saying
- Robert Kastigar - Thursday, Jan 9, 20 @ 12:56 pm:
Keep the cameras. Use technology to enforce the law. Free up the police to fight crime and violence, robbery and mayhem.
This is the 21st Century,