Villa Park considers red-light cameras

Villa Park expects to join the growing number of municipalities using cameras at dangerous intersections to catch motorists running red lights.

Trustees have given preliminary approval to a contract with Lombard-based RedSpeed Illinois to install red-light cameras at up to eight intersections. A formal decision on the plan could be made as early as next month.

Three intersections along North Avenue and several St. Charles Road intersections are being considered as possible camera locations.

In the meantime, one Villa Park official is opposed to the idea.

"The proliferation of surveillance is a concern," Trustee Dave Hegland. "I don't know what's too many cameras. We're certainly headed for it."

If the plan is approved, Villa Park would pay a monthly maintenance fee of $1,500 and $5.99 per ticket. Village officials expect to recoup the costs in fines collected.

Roughly 30 cameras in the Chicago netted $20 million for city coffers in 2006, and one camera in Bellwood resulted in 500 tickets in one month, generating $50,000 in revenue.

"We'll probably come out of it ahead with the program," Deputy Police Chief Robert Budig said.

In addition to the camera aimed at capturing the license plates of vehicles running red lights, a second camera will capture an overall view of the intersection, said Michael Lebert of RedSpeed.

All the red-light cameras will activate only when a violation occurs, he said.

An added benefit is that footage from the cameras will be available to police if a crash happens as result of someone running a red light. Officers can use the footage to aid in their investigation.

Generally, municipalities that install the cameras see a 25 to 30 percent drop in accidents during the first few months, according to Robert Liberman, managing director of RedSpeed.

"These are really compelling arguments," Hegland said. "I'm sure lives may be saved by this. It's a tough decision."

Villa Park's discussion comes days after Lombard trustees approved a contract with RedSpeed.

Other DuPage County towns that have installed or are planning to install red-light cameras include West Chicago, Lisle, Warrenville, Roselle and Addison.

"Nobody likes getting a ticket, including myself," Liberman says. "People should really be paying attention what they are doing when they drive rather than worrying about The Terminator - or Big Brother."