According to the City of Chicago accidents are down 30 percent in the camera-covered intersections, and red-light running is also down 60 percent.  And since the cameras also stand watch against illegal right turns on red, pedestrian injuries from such turns have also decreased.

I am OK with making it safe to drive and walk around in the city, but did they have to turn it into a cash cow.  They expect to make $50 million this year along from the collection of fines from camera generated violations.  That’s up from $35 million total from the last four years.  O MY!  That’s like winning the sweepstakes!

Personally, I like the intersections that have the count down to when the light is going to turn red.  That way I can better judge if I need to be slowing down as I get close to an intersection.

The following information regarding how the red-light camera’s work and the locations were taken from the City of Chicago website.

How it Works
• Digital cameras are tied into the traffic signal system and sensors beneath the pavement. When the light turns red, the system is ready.   (From the ticket I got, I think the system is ready when the light turns yellow.)

• When triggered by a vehicle passing over the sensors above a minimum speed, the cameras take still and video pictures of the rear of a vehicle, including the license plate.

• The images are sent to the company for initial review.

• The images are then forwarded to Dept. of Revenue for review. Revenue then processes the citation.

• The citations are sent to the registered owner of the vehicle shown in the pictures.

• The entire process, from alleged violation to violation issuance, will take an average of a few days.  (This tells me that they do not do much reviewing when the images are forwarded to Dept. of Revenue)

112 Red-Light Camera Locations Listing
(Alpha Order)
Archer & Cicero
Archer & Pulaski
Archer/Narragansett & 55th
Ashland & 63rd
Ashland & 71st
Ashland & 87th
Ashland & Archer
Ashland & Cortland
Ashland & Division
Ashland & Garfield
Ashland & Madison
Ashland & Roosevelt
Austin & Addison
Austin & Belmont
Austin & Diversey
Austin & Irving Park
Belmont & Kedzie
Broadway, Sheridan & Devon
California & 31st
California & 35th
California & Devon
California & Diversey
Central & Fullerton
Central & Irving Park
Cermak & Pulaski
Cicero & 47th
Cicero & Belmont
Cicero & Chicago
Cicero & Fullerton
Cicero & Lawrence
Cicero & North
Cicero & Washington
Clark & Cermak
Clark & Fullerton
Clark & Irving Park
Clark & Ridge
Cottage Grove & 71st
Cottage Grove & 79th
Damen & 63rd
Damen & Fullerton
Damen, Diversey & Clybourn
Elston & Addison
Elston, LaPorte & Foster
Foster & Broadway
Foster & Nagle
Fullerton & Kedzie
Grand & Kostner
Halsted & 111th
Halsted & 115th
Halsted & 119th
Halsted & 79th
Halsted & 95th
Halsted & 99th
Halsted & Belmont
Halsted & Division
Halsted & Madison
Halsted & Roosevelt
Hamlin & Lake
Harlem & Belmont
Harlem & NW Hwy
Hollywood & Sheridan
Homan, Kimball & North
Irving Park & Narragansett
Jeffery & 95th
Kimball, Lincoln & McCormick
Kedzie & 31st
Kedzie & 47th
Kedzie & 63rd
Kedzie & 79th
Kostner & North
Kostner & Ogden
Kostner & Roosevelt
Lake Shore Drive Dr & Belmont
Laramie & Fullerton
LaSalle & Kinzie
Madison & Western
Martin Luther King & 31st
Ontario & Kingsbury
Peterson & Western
Pulaski & 55th
Pulaski & 63rd
Pulaski & Armitage
Pulaski & Belmont
Pulaski & Foster
Pulaski & Fullerton
Pulaski & Lawrence
Sheridan & Foster
South Chicago & 79th
State & 63rd
State & Roosevelt
Stony Island & 79th
Stony Island & 83rd
Stony Island / Cornell & 67th
Vincennes & 111th
Vincennes & 87th
Wentworth & Garfield
Western & 35th
Western & 47th
Western & 51st
Western & 55th
Western & 63rd
Western & 79th
Western & Armitage
Western & Chicago
Western & Devon
Western & Foster
Western & Irving Park
Western & Lawrence
Western & North
Western & Pershing
Western & Van Buren
Western, Diversey & Elston

List Current as of August 4, 2008