Red light cameras to return to West Dundee intersection

Big Brother will return to the corner of routes 72 and 31 when the snow melts.

The red light cameras that sat upon the poles at one of Kane County's busiest intersections will resume their place again and snap their shutters this spring, said West Dundee Police Chief Andrew Wieteska.

In 2013, those cameras were removed when the intersection was widened. Now, with the corner being able to handle more turning cars, they are needed just the same, if not more.

"Those cameras encourage stopping at red lights. Their resolution is great." Wieteska said. "They slow the cars down, so there are fewer accidents."

The intersection is popular for thousands of motorists daily who drive to Spring Hill Mall, the I-90 tollway entrance in Elgin, or McHenry County.

Statistics show that in 2009, 49 crashes occurred. Four years later after they had been operating for a few years, only 20 traffic accidents occurred, the chief said. However, in 2012, 36 vehicles crashed.

"I don't know the reason for the increase, but the cameras help make the intersection safer," he said.

Other red light cameras are mounted on poles at the intersection of Route 31 and Boncosky Road in West Dundee.

"The cameras allow us to see events that occur during traffic violations or accidents because vehicles are recorded," said West Dundee Village Manager Joseph Cavallaro.

"We have had incidents when people have contested the ($100) tickets they have received, and we have looked at the firm to see if they were giving an accurate account," Wieteska said. "Not all of them were."

West Dundee and other communities lease the cameras from the firm RedSpeed USA of Downers Grove for two years. When a violator is photographed, the firm deducts its cost to run them and process the video.

West Dundee receives some of the revenue if all the costs are not depleted through appeals, the police chief said.

"Depending on the number of violations, we have received $3,000 a month in revenue if there is any money left over from appeals," he added.

Members of a hearing board that are not members of the local police department hear and rule on appeal requests from motorists who receive the tickets generated by the cameras.