Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Red Light District

The Sun-Times has an interactive map of all the red-light cameras in Chicago. Here's a close-up of those closest to Uptown:
  • Peterson & Western

  • Foster & Western

  • Irving Park & Western

  • Foster & Broadway

  • Foster & Sheridan

  • Hollywood & Sheridan

15 comments:

  1. Umm, don't get me started on these, cause I am vehemently opposed to them.

    Just remember that its been statistically shown that red light cameras do not reduce accidents, but they do increase city revenue.

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  2. Knowledge is power. Be very careful around these intersections.

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  3. The one on Sheridan and Hollywood bugs me the most. I live near that intersection (like I've said before I'm an Edgewater resident) and that regularly scheduled flashing light (a flash for the camera taking photos I guess) shines right in my window. I even have the pattern down: one big flash, then three smaller flashes. I feel like Kramer and the Kenny Rogers Chicken sign...

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  4. Windycity,

    According to the city, the lights do reduce accidents. Then again, I did say "according to the city"

    "Second, accidents are down 30 percent in the camera-covered intersections, and red-light running is down 60 percent, according to numbers provided by the city. And since the cameras also stand watch against illegal right turns on red, pedestrian injuries from such turns have also declined, according to Martinez."

    http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/1069438,CST-NWS-cameras23.article

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  5. there is a red light camera at CLARK & IRVING PARK so that is close to uptown. the map fails to show that new one.

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  6. and belmont and lakeshore is somewhat nearby. those cameras are dumb. you have to watch for the flashing don't walk sign as an indication of an upcoming yellow light. i'm always afraid some slow a-hole will cause me to get stuck in intersection while light is changing.

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  7. ... any update on getting a police camera at the intersection of Wilson and Magnolia?

    And "cubs", if you're front tires are in the intersection (across the white stop line) before the light is red, you're in the clear - but hustle up ;)

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  8. Well, the city didn't provide any sources, they just made the claim as if their word is enough.

    But here are some interesting articles

    The lights didn't reduce accidents in DC
    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/03/AR2005100301844.html

    Or, here's a USF study saying they actually increase accidents
    http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/mar/12/na-red-light-cameras-increase-accidents-usf-study-/

    Or here's an article showing that they didn't work in Seattle
    http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/19/1929.asp

    The jist here is that red light cameras reduce T-Bone accidents as people stop at the lights. Unfortunately, people start to slam on their brakes when they see yellow, which increases rear-end collisions.

    And, just to prove its about money and not safety, Dallas started removing its cameras once people stopped running the lights because they we're making enough revenue to support the camera program.

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  9. These damn things are brutal. I go two in a week period last September (Foster and Western). None since but I think I may have one coming from Western and Peterson. $90 for one of them...

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  10. While I'm still learning the boundaries of the 46th ward, none of these red light cameras appear to be in the 46th ward.

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  11. Murray, as far as we know, there are none in the 46th Ward. We tried to highlight the ones closest to Uptown, the ones that Uptowners might encounter the most often.

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  12. Hi guys. I did a lot of research on these as well, when I had two violations that I did not know about while with my company (I had a company car--so the notices went to my company). Needless to say, my company put me at a higher risk level each time--the first time in ten years that I rose above a risk level zero--(which caused me to almost lose my job). Our city, however, does not see these as moving violations, which I had to explain to my company. However, more important is the fact that during my research, I uncovered the fact that when they install the cameras in the city lights, yellow light time is often reused below the required time, so that the driver is caught unaware that a light is even turning red, forcing the driver to slam on the brake, or go through the red light. This ensures enough revenue for the city. Also, in a city like Chicago that has fines for when a car is in the walkway area, this allows a fine either way if a car finds itself stuck in a "walk" zone.

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  13. I'm pretty conflicted on red light cameras.

    I utterly dispise the addition of more citizen monitoring devices. I dispise the realization that the city may claim they do it for safety, but it's always about the revenue.

    BUT, I always laugh with glee when I see an obvious d**khead get nailed trying to gun it through an intersection. I have no pity in those instances.

    I'd just rather have no cameras and everyone obeying the traffic laws. I guess this just proves I am naive...

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  14. Melissa: If it is not a moving violation then what is it? What is the fine?

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