Recent Streetsblog CHICAGO posts about Automated Enforcement

Cam ban legislation sponsor David McSweeney.

House passage of McSweeney’s RLC ban takes Illinois a step closer to more traffic deaths

By John Greenfield | Feb 27, 2020 | No Comments

If lawmakers prohibit RLCs in many suburban municipalities, let alone in Chicago as well, more Illinois will be seriously injured and killed in crashes.

Chicago's red light cams have been found to reduce T-bone and/or turning collisions by 19 percent at intersections where the cams have been installed. Image: Wikipedia

After scandal, IL lawmakers say they can ban red light cams — here’s why they shouldn’t

By John Greenfield | Feb 7, 2020 | No Comments

The guilty plea of Illinois state senator Martin Sandoval shows that reforms are needed. But data shows that if lawmakers ban RLCs across the state, more people will die in crashes.

Rendering of the new cul-de-sac and bus boarding area at Chicago and May.

City Announces New Bus Speed Initiative, But Will Drivers Respect the New Lanes?

By John Greenfield | Apr 19, 2019 | 12 Comments

The upgrades include a new wide boarding area at Chicago/Milwaukee, a mile of bus lanes on Chicago Avenue downtown, and improvements on Western and 79th.

Where Do Lori and Toni Part Ways on Transportation?

By John Greenfield | Apr 1, 2019 | 1 Comment

Lightfoot's positions on bike/walk funding, the North LASD rehab, reduced CTA fares, and bus lane enforcement are arguably more progressive, but neither candidate is terrible on transportation.

Mary Mitchell Wrote a Powerful Defense of Red Light Cameras

By John Greenfield | Oct 16, 2018 | 20 Comments

While Mitchell admitted that she despises getting tickets from traffic cameras, she noted that the recent death of Daniela Chavez, 5, underscores why we need automated enforcement.

Here’s Looking at You, Kidwell: The Tribune’s Anti-Traffic Cam Reporter Has Left the Paper

By John Greenfield, Payton Chung and Steven Vance | Apr 3, 2017 | 16 Comments

Investigative reporter David Kidwell broke the Redflex bribery scandal and pressured the city to make reforms to the red light camera program, but much of his reporting on automated enforcement was misleading and betrayed an apparent personal bias against traffic cams.

Maldonado's recent email to constituents.

Once Again, Alderman Maldonado Calls Automated Enforcement a Money Grab

By John Greenfield | Jan 16, 2017 | 36 Comments

While the alderman is right to help constituents navigate the confusing process of contesting red light tickets, he's wrong to characterize people who blow lights as innocent victims.

What Would Jesús Ride? Talking Transportation With Jesús “Chuy” García

By John Greenfield | Mar 16, 2015 | 9 Comments

[The full text of this interview runs in Newcity magazine.] For most of the campaign, mayoral hopeful Jesús “Chuy” García has been relatively quiet about transportation issues, except for his vocal opposition to Chicago’s automated traffic enforcement program. Most recently, following the revelation that a former top aide to Mayor Rahm Emanuel lobbied for awarding […]