Red Light Cameras Coming to River Forest?

Easy on the gas pedal, local lead feet.

The River Forest Village Board is considering the installation of red-light cameras at two heavily traveled local intersections: westbound North Avenue at Harlem Avenue and southbound Harlem Avenue at Lake Street.

Although the proposal still in the early phases, many on the board backed the plan, calling it a safety measure that would free up patrol officers for other duties and not a "money grab."

"There is a penalty involved for running a red light," said Trustee Mike Gibbs. "I see this as just another tool the police department to use...I look at it as a safety issue."

Citing crash data from the two intersections — together, the intersections saw 93 crashes from 2006 to 2010 — public safety officials concluded the two targeted areas would be the most effective in nabbing red light runners.

Still, questions lingered about whether or not the devices would actually decrease the crash rate, and Trustee Jim Winikates requested more data.

"Five T-bone accidents in three years is probably going to happen whether or not you put the [cameras] up there or not," he said, referencing village traffic data from 2006 to 2008 showing a total of five side-impact crashes at those intersections.

And other hurdles remain, like finding funding for the Illinois Department of Transportation requirement to replace existing traffic lights with LED bulbs (an estimated $10,000 to $15,000) and negotiating IDOT approval for the cameras at the state-maintained roads of Harlem and North Avenues.

The lone opposition for the plan came from Trustee Susan Conti.

"I don't want the criminals in River Forest, but I really don't want the citizens to be afraid that we're going to take their picture and put our hands in their pockets and take out $100," she said.

Trustee Catherine Adduci recused herself from the discussion because of her relationship with Al Ronan, a chief lobbyist for RedSpeed Camera, one of the camera vendors under consideration for the village's potential business.