Story posted Thursday, February 25, 2010
30 Red Light Tickets So Far At Higgins & Landmeier
A new red light traffic enforcement camera went live in Elk Grove Village at the intersection of Higgins and Landmeier roads last month.
In the last few weeks the camera has generated 30 tickets, said Elk Grove Police Cmdr. Chuck Walsh.
Village trustees also approved upgrading a red light camera intersection at Biesterfield Road at the entrance to I-290 with LED lights.
The village will pay half the $5,570 cost to outfit the intersection with the lights.
Walsh acknowledged the cameras are controversial but said he has seen real evidence that they have reduced accidents.
The intersection of Oakton Street and Busse Road was the first corner to be outfitted with the cameras in Elk Grove Village in late 2008 and has been one of the top 10 accident sites in the village for the last 20 years.
Accidents at that intersection are down 31% since cameras were installed, said Walsh, adding that area traffic counts from the Illinois Dept. of Transportation have remained consistent during that time.
Walsh said he has not seen any increase in rear-end crashes at local red light camera intersections.
The automated cameras maintained by Red Speed Illinois work using small sensors in the ground that trigger a camera if a car crosses after a light turns red.
Video of that event is reviewed first by Red Speed staff and then by an Elk Grove police officer that issues a ticket.
Elk Grove Village Mayor Craig Johnson is aware of the controversy surrounding the cameras and staunchly defends them denying they are only used as a revenue source and contribute significantly to public safety.
"You notice it's only the people who've gotten tickets who are complaining," said Johnson.
The mayor said his own son was given a ticket through the red light cameras in Elk Grove.
"My son said, 'what are we going to do?' I told him, 'you're going to pay it,'" said Johnson.
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