IL - Roselle OK's traffic cameras, speed cam's "not yet

If you plan to blow a red light in Roselle, prepare to get caught on camera.

Roselle is joining other Chicago area communities in a new electronic traffic enforcement program.

The village board Monday approved a contract with the company RedSpeed Illinois to manage a new project that will photograph traffic violations at certain intersections. A $100 fine will be mailed to motorists who make illegal turns or drive through red lights.

The technology also will detect people who speed but, at this point, state law prohibits police from issuing tickets in such a fashion.

"There's talk about possible changes in the legislature but there's nothing at this point," Roselle Police Chief Jim Kruger said. "But Arizona is really big for speed enforcement with the cameras, and it's been done in Europe for years."

The village expects that the cameras will be installed sometime in the spring.

A survey will determine their location. But plans are to focus on what the village deems as the most dangerous intersections. So far, two intersections are being targeted. They are Gary Avenue and Lake Street and at Roselle Road and the Elgin O'Hare expressway.

It will cost roughly $72,000 per intersection per year to operate the cameras. But the village doesn't have the pay a dime.

Redspeed representatives told village board members that they expect each intersection will more than pay for itself in fines. If they don't, the company soaks up the cost. Also, the village gets to keep any extra money that comes from fines if they exceed the cost of the intersection.

That has caused some concern about the possibility of abusing the system. But Roselle Mayor Gayle Smolinski said that's unlikely.

"The bottom line is that our police department decides if it's a violation or not - not some company trying to make money," she said.

Perceived violation data would be sent by the company to Roselle police, where a traffic officer would review the video to determine if a violation has occurred, Smolinski said