Wood Dale awaits red-light cameras

Already delayed by almost two months, Wood Dale police are awaiting clearance from DuPage County before mounting radar-triggered cameras at the intersection of Wood Dale Road and Thorndale Avenue to cut down on accidents and red-light violations.

Police Chief Frank Biniewicz said he hoped to have the cameras installed by late July to reduce the estimated 300-400 monthly violations by the 53,000 cars that pass through the intersection daily by at least 30 percent and accidents by 25 percent.

Seven of the 35 accidents occurring at the intersection in 2006 are attributed to red-light violations, he said.

The county is expected to approve standard operating procedures for red-light enforcement at its October meeting.

"Our officers have observed several of these violations, but it's very difficult to apprehend those drivers during rush hour," Biniewicz said. "Officers have to go through the intersection to catch violators and that becomes problematic from an enforcement standpoint."

The system, which Wood Dale hopes to now have in place by the end of the year, includes pole-mounted cameras covering both the east and west ends of the intersection. Cameras begin filming when the lights begin to change, snapping digital photos and video of every car, along with its license plates and driver that runs the light.

When the registered owner of the vehicle in question receives the $100 citation in the mail, they'll also be given a link to a Web site where they can watch a 15-second video clip of the violation.

Police hope that the cameras will encourage the alleged offenders to think twice about whether they really want to contest the ticket.

The city has already signed a two-year contract with ACS, the same security firm that installed the cameras on the Irving Park Road footbridge and the Metra parking lot, but Biniewicz said he expects the initial contract to be for two years at an approximate cost of $150,000.

Including the court fees, the program is expected to cost a total of $174,000. He believes the number of citations issued would allow the system to more than pay for itself.

"We've got to change motorist behavior and ensure safety in and around our community," he said. "People are in such a hurry these days, they think red lights are a request for you to think about stopping. But they mean stop."