Red Light Cameras Approved in River Forest

Red light cameras could be a go next year at two major intersections in River Forest.

At Monday's village board meeting, the board voted 5-1 to award a contract to Chicago-based SafeSpeed. Trustee Susan Conti, who has been a vocal critic of the program, was the lone dissenting vote. Trustee Catherine Aducci abstained.

Earlier:

The firm will study whether or not the controversial devices will be warranted at the intersections of Harlem Avenue and Lake Street and Harlem and North Avenue. They'll look at volume of traffic and the number of crashes at each location, among other traffic data.

In 2009 and 2010 there were 65 accidents with more than $1,500 in damages reported at both intersections. (Police officers are no longer required to write a report if damages in accidents are less than $1,500, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation.)

If installing the cameras is warranted, the state would then have to approve a permit for their installation because Harlem, Lake and North are state-controlled roadways, village administrator Eric Palm said.

That process could take as long as a year, said SafeSpeed IT director Chris Lai. “Sometimes they say no, they can rule out a bunch of places,” Lai said.

The studies won’t cost the village anything. Any costs associated with the operation, including electricity to run the cameras and installation of LED bulbs for the traffic signals, would come out of revenues generated from traffic tickets, Lai said.

The village had considered whether to install a system two years ago. One firm, RedSpeed Illinois of Lombard, had been considered but the firm declined to consider a two-tier fine system, according to Oak Leaves.

That choice also was controversial because of Aducci’s relationship at the time with Al Ronan, a chief lobbyist for RedSpeed and a high-powered political operative. 

But officials then decided to move forward this year at the behest of Chief Greg Weiss, who said the cameras would be a boon to officer safety. Patrol officers, Weiss said, are hesitant to make traffic stops along the busy roads.

The devices also would free up officers to do other law enforcement duties, officials said.

Deputy Chief Craig Rutz noted that the installation of red light cameras may have prevented the kind of accident that took place just after 1 p.m. Friday when a 24-year-old female cyclist in the crosswalk at Harlem and Lake was struck by a woman who was making a right onto southbound Harlem and kept driving.

The driver, identified as Rosey L. Williams, 52, of Maywood, was charged with driving without a valid license, operating an uninsured vehicle, failing to yield to a pedestrian and failing to render aid.  

The victim sustained abrasions to both hands, was taken to Rush Oak Park Hospital and was released.