Chicago To Remove 50 Red Light Cameras
(CBS) -- Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the Chicago Department of Transportation announced at a press conference on Sunday at LaFollete Park that the city would be removing 50 red light cameras at 25 intersections across the city.
Emanuel also outlined an ordinance that would allow first-time offenders to have the option to enroll in an online safety class instead of paying a $100 fine. The ordinance also calls for community meeting to precede the installation of any future red light cameras and accelerate the installation of pedestrian countdown timers.
Red light cameras will be removed at the following locations:
• Ashland and 47th
• Ashland and 63rd
• Ashland and Archer
• Ashland and Diversey
• Ashland and Garfield
• California and 31st
• Central and Madison
• Cicero and Stevenson Expressway
• Cornell and 57th
• Cottage Grove and 95th
• Damen and Blue Island
• Elston and Foster
• Halsted and 63rd
• Halsted and 83rd
• Harlem and Northwest Highway
• Jeffrey and 79th
• Kimball, McCormick and Lincoln
• Narragansett, 55th and Archer
• Osceola and Touhy
• Pulaski and Montrose
• Stony Island and 83rd
• Vincennes and 111th
• Western Ave and 51st
• Western, Armitage and Milwaukee
• Western and Pratt
The cameras have not yet been removed but they stopped giving out tickets at 12:01 a.m. Friday.
The removal comes as a result of a review of crash data performed by CDOT, according to the mayor's office. Last year, 32 cameras at 16 intersections were removed.
"Red light cameras help reduce the most dangerous crashes and allow police officers to concentrate on fighting crime, not writing traffic violations, and public trust is vital for this program to be effective," said Mayor Emanuel.
Emanuel's proposal would leave over 300 red light cameras in place throughout the city. Mayoral challenger Chuy Garcia has said he would remove all of the red light cameras if he became mayor.
"This new move by Mayor Emanuel is too little, too late," Garcia said in a statement. "I am confident voters will see this announcement today for what it is -- pure politics. It's time for a change."
Emanuel's campaign has accused Garcia of changing his position on red light cameras.
"Even as Rahm continues commonsense reforms to increase transparency and public trust in this safety program, the only thing voters can count on from Chuy Garcia is that his position could change again tomorrow," said Emanuel campaign spokesman Steve Mayberry. "It's clear that Chuy Garcia won't commit to specific plans, hasn't been candid with how he'll pay for his expensive promises and presents a big risk for Chicagoans at this critical moment."