Not only did the Western Springs Village Board decide to renew its red light camera enforcement program, officials indicated Monday they may add more cameras to enhance safety.
The Village Board voted 5-1 to renew its contract with RedSpeed Illinois for cameras at westbound 55th street at Wolf Road, and east and westbound Ogden Avenue at Wolf Road.
Village Trustee Berry Allen cast the lone no vote on the three-year renewal, saying he was in favor of scaling back the program to only include cameras at the Ogden/Wolf intersection.
Allen said because the number of violations recorded by the cameras each year have not dropped significantly — and in some years actually increased —the cameras have not fulfilled the goal of change driving habits.
He said a recent reduction in the speed limit on 55th street for 40 mph to 35 mph may also have an impact on the reduction of vehicle accidents, as well as safer cars, and that a decrease in accident data at that intersection should not be attributed to just the cameras.
Village Trustee James Horvath stood by the program, saying despite the lack of decrease in violations, he believes the program is making streets safer.
“Eliminating cameras at one intersection would put a bigger burden on police to monitor that intersection, which is one of the busiest in the village,” Horvath said.
Trustees said they may look at adding cameras, possibly one at eastbound 55th street at Wolf Road.
Police Chief Brian Budds said when cameras went up in 2009, the eastbound approach at the intersection did not meet the criteria for cameras under state law, but it may now.
Village President Bill Rodeghier said the village’s Public Health and Safety Committee could address the possibility with RedSpeed about adding the eastbound 55th Street camera.
Village manager Patrick Higgins said that the 55th/Wolf Road intersection is on a list to be reconstructed within the next two to three years, and that could be a factor in deciding whether to expand the program there.
In data released by the Western Springs Police Department earlier this month, more than 3,500 tickets were issued from the cameras in 2016. The program brings in an average of $150,000 annually into the village, though some is spent on the costs of the cameras, and police officers time and salary to review camera data.
Budds said the cameras have also been beneficial in other crime investigations, such as identifying vehicles in hit-and-run accidents.
David Heitz is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
