Buffalo Grove red-light camera plan moves ahead

The Buffalo Grove village board on Monday approved consideration of a company to set up a red-light photo enforcement system at several intersections in town.

Police officials have pinpointed nine intersections with the most crashes and red-light violations: Buffalo Grove and Lake-Cook roads, Arlington Heights and Dundee roads, Lake-Cook and McHenry roads, Arlington Heights and Lake-Cook roads, Buffalo Grove and Aptakisic roads, Buffalo Grove and Dundee roads, Arlington Heights and McHenry roads, Buffalo Grove Road and Deerfield Parkway and Deerfield Parkway and Weiland Road. The village will start with two of those intersections to test the program.

"The impact of red-light running can be devastating," said Ghida Neukirch, assistant village manager.

The board approved looking at LaserCraft Inc. because the company doesn't use flashes when photographing red-light violators. Neukirch said that was deemed important because otherwise "it seems like it's paparazzi taking photographs."

The tickets will go through a local ordinance, much like a parking ticket; the revenue from the fines, which still are being determined, will go toward the program itself.

The goal is to reduce the number of crashes, fatalities and injuries that come from drivers running red lights, Neukirch said.