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* Mayor Rahm Emanuel said two things when he pushed for speed cams. First, the cams would slow down traffic near schools and parks and, therefore, potentially save lives. The second was the cams could generate up to $70 million a year for education programs.
Most figured the push was a cynical move to raise more cash. And they figured the $70 million was a low-ball estimate. Hey, maybe it was just a cash grab. But that’s not how it’s turning out…
The 92 speed cameras installed near 43 schools and parks have generated just $3.7 million in fines, and only $1.5 million of that has been collected. That’s after churning out 758,176 warning notices and 42,568 tickets since the first camera was installed at Gompers Park in August. […]
From the first day of warnings through March 9, the average number of motorists caught speeding each day has dropped at all but four of the 92 cameras locations. The biggest decline — 97 percent — occurred at McKinley Park, 2080 W. Pershing, which went from an average of 861 daily speeders in September to 28 in March.
* Hizzoner was asked about the slowed-down motorists the other day…
He essentially said, “I told you so.”
“The first goal — as I said when we created the child safety zones — was to deter people from speeding near our schools and our parks. And it has been incredibly effective at slowing people down,” he said at an unrelated news conference on street repaving.
Referring to the Sun-Times, Emanuel said, “You said . . . we’re not going to have the financial resources. The Tribune has said this is going to be an unlimited amount of money. . . . Stop the prediction business. We have only one fact: People are slowing down.”
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Sep 24, 14 @ 11:43 am
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But it’s also not generating revenue which was the entire point… the camera are working too well. That’s what Rahm really should be saying, lol.
Comment by From the 'Dale to HP Wednesday, Sep 24, 14 @ 11:51 am
Well, they said it was never about revenue and it’s not generating it. The cost-benefit pays for itself in reduced externality costs caused by accidents and other service disruptions. Glad to see it actually works, the revenue claim always seemed dubious.
Comment by PMcP Wednesday, Sep 24, 14 @ 12:09 pm
Yep, those cameras are also working really well when it comes to recruiting campaign volunteers.
Comment by William j Kelly Wednesday, Sep 24, 14 @ 12:12 pm
The revenue claim was real and they thought they were low-balling the estimates. Watch for big brother on a highway near you…soon.
Comment by Chicago Cynic Wednesday, Sep 24, 14 @ 12:13 pm
A law-ball estimate? I assume you meant “low-ball.”
Comment by Louis G Atsaves Wednesday, Sep 24, 14 @ 12:13 pm
It should be no surprise that consistent, high-profile enforcement changes behavior. It’s a truism. It worth noting that critics generally ignore such results, which have been found elsewhere that speed cameras are used, such as in highway constrution zones, where the ISP credits cameras with reducing fatalities among workers.
Comment by Anon Wednesday, Sep 24, 14 @ 12:24 pm
I still don’t see how this is an issue. People want more police on the streets but refuse to accept technology that allows officers to focus on more pressing crimes.
People need to grow-up, speed limits exist for a reason, there is a significantly increased percentage of death when a crash happens at 50mph rather than 35mph; especially when it involves pedestrians, which (surprise!) Chicago has a lot of…
Comment by PMcP Wednesday, Sep 24, 14 @ 12:28 pm
Red Light Cameras, as implemented, are illegal and unconstitutional. First, they conflict with the IL Vehicle Code, as then-Attorney General Burris found in Opinion 92-013.
http://www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/opinions/1992/92-013.pdf
[That is why the original legislation for Chicago red light cameras explicitly stated they were NOT moving violations.]
Second, the administrative hearing officer set-up violates the intent of the Illinois Constitution by using a Fee Office (the officer is paid from the proceeds of the fines).
State Police uses / used cameras in construction zones, but those tickets went through the court system.
Comment by Anyone Remember Wednesday, Sep 24, 14 @ 12:38 pm
My many concerns with increased government surveillance do not include “ineffectiveness”.
– MrJM
Comment by MrJM Wednesday, Sep 24, 14 @ 12:45 pm
Most red-light camera tickets–upwards of 90%–are from not stopping before making a right turn, not blowing a red light.
Unfortunately for Rahn, there is no secondary BS infraction these speed cams can ticket for.
Comment by Nonplussed Wednesday, Sep 24, 14 @ 12:56 pm
Louis would you please answer my question, would you put a loved one in a rauner (nursing) home?
Comment by William j Kelly Wednesday, Sep 24, 14 @ 12:58 pm
== Redlight cameras, as implemented, are illegal and unconstitutional. ==
Has the state supreme court made such a finding? If so, I missed it.
As far as the Burris opinion goes, it had to do with the issuance of P-tickets by live officers for moving violations. The opinion does not address ticketing via automated cameras for violations that are not counted against the driver’s license.
Comment by Anon Wednesday, Sep 24, 14 @ 1:08 pm
This is hindsight, but anyone who thought the red light cameras was a cash grab just doesn’t understand human behavior. It might produce cash at first, but eventually the law of averages plays out and people get it figured out and start slowing down, which is a good thing.
It would be interesting to see if their traffic engineers or planners have noticed a decrease in accidents, pedestrians being hit and deaths.
Comment by Ahoy! Wednesday, Sep 24, 14 @ 1:16 pm
@Ahoy!, which is why Rahm pushing for speed camera was so silly in the first place… the City budgeted tens of million in revenue from the cameras, and now has to continue to figure how to plug that budget hole. It’ll be interesting to see what they budget the revenue for FY15 to be.
Comment by From the 'Dale to HP Wednesday, Sep 24, 14 @ 1:49 pm
Actually I think people have figured out how the cameras work as I have. If the true intent was to slow drivers down, then the cameras would be placed differently- they would be on both sides of the road and would have a larger catchment area. So what that you get people to abruptly slow down for maybe a block- they resume speed as soon as they know they’re out of reach. My cases in point- there is a camera on the southeast side that is on the block where the school hasn’t even broken ground yet and another block where is the camera is nowhere near a park or the school(not even close to the block where there is a crossing guard).
Comment by carbaby Wednesday, Sep 24, 14 @ 1:54 pm
PmcP and Anon must not have to drive in it everyday. Also, the speed limits are artificially low.
Don’t tell me any different because that would not be true. I drive safely and do not go from lane to lane or drive on the right side in a one lane road to get in front of others.
It is not speeding but reckless driving that is the problem. There are far too many angry drivers out there.
The average driver who just wants to get to work and home is being hammered everyday.
To many people who “cut” in front from the right side of the road, ect.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Sep 24, 14 @ 2:08 pm
== It would be interesting to see if their traffic engineers or planners have noticed a decrease in accidents, pedestrians being hit and deaths.==
Such declines were found at most intersections with redlight camera. As the number of violations declines, so does the number of crashes and injuries.
Comment by Anon Wednesday, Sep 24, 14 @ 2:36 pm
It is true that once people know where they are, it changes their behavior. I won’t even turn on Red where I know there’s a Red Light camera. People used to honk at me when I stood still. They don’t anymore. They seem to get it too. Now, these cameras only catch friends and family who come to visit you…for the last time at your house! Might be solving more problems than meet the eye. lol
Comment by A guy... Wednesday, Sep 24, 14 @ 3:38 pm
Don’t worry on the non-collection. After the state legislature passed that bill a couple of years ago, the city of Chicago can levy unpaid parking tickets against your state tax refund. No doubt this will follow the same route.
Comment by DTM Wednesday, Sep 24, 14 @ 3:46 pm
How much did the city spend on purchasing and installing those speed cameras? We won’t even break even.
Comment by Samay Gheewala Wednesday, Sep 24, 14 @ 4:20 pm
“How much did the city spend on purchasing and installing those speed cameras?”
Leased. Haven’t you noticed all the hullabaloo about the corruption related to the contracts?
Comment by Chris Wednesday, Sep 24, 14 @ 5:22 pm
I happen to be in England at the moment and have spent more time in a car than I would like. There are hardly any police on the roadways because of speed cameras. Imagine if we could shift police spending from roadways to violent neighborhoods. Seems like a decent idea.
Comment by Anon Thursday, Sep 25, 14 @ 4:28 am