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Oak Brook Chamber speaks out against cameras at Route 83 and 22nd Street
The Oakbrook Terrace City Council plans to consider the installation of red light cameras at Route 83 and 22nd Street. | Chuck Fieldman—Sun-Times Media
Updated: October 7, 2012 6:31AM
Oakbrook Terrace — The president of the Greater Oak Brook Chamber of Commerce is speaking out strongly against the possibility of red-light cameras being installed at Route 83 and 22nd Street in Oakbrook Terrace.
The Oakbrook Terrace City Council is planning to discuss and vote at its 7 p.m. Sept. 11 meeting on a contract with a company that installs and operates red-light cameras. The meeting is to be conducted in the City Council room at 17W225 Butterfield Road.
The plan under consideration by the city council includes cameras at the Route 83/22nd Street intersection for southbound traffic on Route 83 and for eastbound traffic on 22nd Street.
“It’s a terrible idea to have cameras at that intersection,” said Tracy Mulqueen, president and chief executive officer of the Chamber. “It will have a negative impact on local commerce.”
Mulqueen said the intersection is one of the most significant in the area.
“There are such a large number of people traveling in an out of the area, and red light cameras have an impact on traffic flow,” Mulqueen said. “Everything is working so well there now, and in places where they have these cameras, it causes issues for drivers.”
Mulqueen questioned the motivation for red-light cameras at Route 83 and 22nd Street.
“I don’t know if this is a revenue or safety issue,” she said. “If it’s safety, we need to do a safety study. These cameras are generally used to generate revenue.”
Oakbrook Terrace Mayor Tony Ragucci said Friday he would have no comment about the red-light camera issue until after the City Council has voted.
Mulqueen said she has had recent discussions with Oakbrook Terrace officials about the plan for red light cameras.
“And we’re hoping for more discussion,” she said. “We will be at the Sept. 11 meeting, and representatives from several area businesses will also be there to express their opposition to this.”
If approved, the contract for red-light cameras will be with SafeSpeed LLC, a Chicago company. The cameras capture images of vehicles entering the intersections, and citations can be issued to drivers who don’t come to a complete stop before making a right turn on red, or those enter an intersection while the light is red. Revenue from citations would go to both SafeSpeed and the city.
Oakbrook Terrace officials are on record in the proposed ordinance for the contract that they want to establish an automated traffic light enforcement system to improve public safety, and reduce red light traffic violations, vehicle collisions and resulting property damage and personal injuries to the traveling public. ~.
