Red-light camera expansion on hold
Naperville's discussion of installing additional red-light cameras came to a screeching halt Tuesday as council members decided they need more information before moving forward.
The council spent just under an hour debating the merits of adding cameras at two additional intersections but some have concerns about whether the guidelines for issuing right-on-red tickets are fair. They put the issue on hold for a month to explore their options.
Naperville currently has red-light cameras at the intersection of Route 59 and North Aurora Road. The cameras operated on a warning basis in January and the city started issuing citations in February.
Motorists who violate red-light laws receive a $100 ticket and can go through an administrative hearing process to fight it. Those found guilty in a hearing must also pay a $25 administrative fee.
From January through April, 3,565 red light citations were issued through use of the cameras. During that period there was an 80 percent reduction in turning/angle crashes, a 14 percent reduction in total crashes and minimal increase in rear end collisions.
The city is contemplating spending $686,880 to maintain cameras at two additional intersections for the next three years. The new cameras would be added at Route 59 and Diehl Road and Ogden and Aurora avenues. Both are among the top 10 most dangerous intersections in the city.
"This is an unsafe community the way people drive in this town and by virtue of the fact of what we've done to reduce accidents at one intersection there will be a monumental improvement if we expand this to other intersections," council member James Boyajian said.
However, some council members expressed concern about the impact of the cameras. Council member Doug Krause said the cameras have caused traffic to back up even further and he views them as a moneymaker, not a way to increase safety.
Council member Grant Wehrli said the right-turn violations may be a "gotcha" on motorists.
"We're using technology where common sense should rule the day," Wehrli said.
Police Chief David Dial said the officers reviewing the video footage of the violations have been lenient - not giving out citations to those who get stuck in the intersection waiting to turn left or those who turn right on red as long as they stop, even if they stop over the line.
Council member Richard Furstenau proposed not using the new cameras for right-on-red violations.
City attorney Margo Ely said the city must adhere to the state's traffic code. However, Furstenau said officers would still ticket violators they witnessed in person, and the city would just keep the cameras from being able to view drivers turning right. Dial was unsure whether this would be physically possible with the cameras.
The council rejected Furstenau's proposal. Mayor George Pradel and Boyajian, Judith Brodhead, Kenn Miller and Paul Hinterlong voted to override Furstenau, Wehrli, Krause and Robert Fieseler.
However, the council did accept Fieseler's motion to table the issue until the July 21 meeting in order to research their options.