Schaumburg Considering Giving Up Red Light Cameras

The village of Schaumburg installed it's first, and only, red light camera in November at the intersection of Meacham and Woodfield roads. They chose to use this intersection as a testing ground for red light cameras since both roads belong to the Village of Schaumburg and they did not need permission from the county or the state. Schaumburg believed that they were joining a growing trend. Villages around Schaumburg have been using red light cameras for a long time. Rolling Meadows has been using red light cameras at five intersections for about a year. To set up the red light camera, Schaumburg paid the company that operates the camera, RedSpeed Illinois, a start up fee of $129,000. Tickets are $100 each with $30 of each ticket going to RedSpeed Illinois. Since the middle of November of 2008 to early February, over 10,000 tickets were issued by this camera. 98 percent of the tickets were for not making a complete stop before turning on red. The potential income from these tickets is approximately $1 million. Last week the Village of Schaumburg decided to turn off the cameras and stop issuing the red light camera tickets. The Village decided that this camera, located close to Woodfield Mall, was impacting the consumer-friendliness of Schaumburg's commercial district. At least one ticketed motorist describes the intersection's right-turn lane as an ambiguous experience for drivers where no signal or sign can be seen from the stop line itself. One of the options being considered by the village is to place a right-turn arrow or even prohibiting right turns on red altogether. Village officials warn that this does not mean that they will not place cameras anywhere else. The village is simply stepping back trying to find a meaningful balance between protecting the public and doing what is right and prudent.

Congratulations to the Village of Schaumburg for doing the right thing!

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