More cameras planned to ease Lake County traffic

The next time you're stuck in traffic on one of Lake County's roadways, don't curse, grimace or scream.

Instead, check your hair, straighten your clothes and smile. There's a chance you're on camera.

And those odds are set to increase next year.

More than 100 cameras are set to be added to the region's high-tech, traffic-control program, called Lake County Passage, transportation officials said Wednesday.

Like the 32 cameras already in place, the devices will be monitored at a mission-control center in Libertyville and allow operators to adjust traffic signals based on vehicle patterns.

Under a plan now before the Lake County Board, however, five of the cameras also would be viewable by state officials in Springfield. Those cameras would be placed at local railroad crossings so the Illinois Commerce Commission, which regulates railroads in the state, could monitor activity.

Civil-rights advocates have cautioned that these systems could be used to spy on motorists and pedestrians. Although she sees a public benefit in allowing the ICC to monitor the video streams, one advocate said expanding the use of cameras further erodes citizens' privacy.

"We proceed further down the path of monitoring and taping people's every move at our peril," said Colleen K. Connell, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois.

Lake County Board Chairwoman Suzi Schmidt said the public benefit of monitoring traffic -- especially at railroad crossings -- outweighs motorists' privacy rights. Even so, Schmidt said, she understands why some people worry about government intrusion through these and other public cameras.

"We're watched constantly," Schmidt said. "We don't even know when we're being watched."

Lake County Passage went live in 2006. The multimillion-dollar effort uses cameras, pavement sensors and other equipment to ease congestion and keep motorists informed about traffic conditions.

Under the plan before the board this month, the ICC would have access to new cameras in Round Lake Beach, Buffalo Grove, Lake Forest and near Mundelein.

The ICC wants to monitor the cameras to study potentially dangerous traffic backups at the crossings, a spokeswoman said.

If the proposal progresses, the ICC will reimburse the county about $100,000 to cover the design and installation costs.

The county board could approve the proposal at its next meeting, set for 9 a.m. Tuesday at the county government center, 18 N. County St., Waukegan.

The contract for all 110 cameras planned for next year won't be publicly reviewed until January or February, county transportation officials said.

The ACLU's Connell called the ICC proposal rational, particularly because of the number of train accidents that involve motorists and pedestrians in Illinois.

But she also said everyone should be concerned about the loss of privacy suffered "when our every action on a public street or sidewalk is being monitored by law enforcement."

Schmidt agreed but also stressed county officials don't use Passage cameras to dole out traffic tickets or look at individual cars or motorists.

"We look at intersections," she said.

Not so candid cameras

Lake County officials are considering adding more cameras to its traffic-monitoring system, including some that also would be monitored by state officials.

Current cameras in the network: 32

Additional cameras being proposed: 110*

Number the Illinois Commerce Commission would monitor: 5

Proposed railroad locations:

• Rollins Road and Hainesville Road crossing at the Canadian National Railroad tracks in Round Lake Beach.

• Deerfield Parkway crossing at the Canadian National tracks in Buffalo Grove.

• Winchester Road crossing at the Canadian National tracks near Mundelein.

• Westleigh Road crossing at the Union Pacific Railroad tracks in Lake Forest.

• Everett Road crossing at the Canadian Pacific Railroad tracks in Lake Forest.

Estimated cost of those five cameras: $100,000**

*Includes 22 existing cameras that aren't fully part of the network yet

**To be covered by the ICC

Source: Lake County transportation division