East Dundee eyes red light runners
Motorists traveling through East Dundee will need to pay close attention when approaching a couple of major intersections or turning right against a red light.
The village is watching you.
A red light camera will take up residence this month at the intersection of Route 68 and Route 25, with another one coming soon at the Route 68 and Route 72 crossing.
East Dundee Police Chief Terry Mee said the first camera should be functional within the next two weeks.
The camera will operate at first on a 30-day trial basis. Once the trial is over, motorists blowing through the red light, or rolling through a right-hand turn, can expect a $100 penalty.
"There is no doubt that revenue will be generated through this," Mee said. "But it is also about a safety issue."
Of the $100 fine, $36 go toward administrative fees, with the remainder split between the village and RedSpeed Illinois, the Lombard-based firm installing the cameras.
The first $1,500 generated by each camera is paid directly to RedSpeed.
Some village trustees say the program is too focused on moneymaking and not safety.
"It is a nitpicky way for the government to pick our pockets," said Trustee Jeff Lynam, the lone board member to vote against the proposal. "It is a con and I am not in favor of it. It is like the government riding in my back seat and picking my pocket at every turn."
Lynam said the village board has yet to receive information detailing the amount of revenue the cameras could produce, or data on the number of accidents recorded at either intersection.
"If they could show me how this technology would prevent accidents or improve traffic flow, I would be all for it," Lynam said. "But no one has shown me that."
Despite initially supporting the program, Trustee Michael Ruffulo said the cameras do little to make intersections safer since a vast majority of the violations come from people failing to make a complete stop before turning right on red.
"It has transformed from a safety tool to a revenue tool," Ruffulo said. "We need the revenue, but don't hide what this really is."
Nearby towns, including West Dundee and Lake in the Hills, also have installed cameras to nab people running red lights.