Cameras to Issue Warnings near Hiawatha and Kosciuszko Parks

As part of the City’s efforts to increase public safety by reducing speeding, the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) announced today that two of the five Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) cameras in Children’s Safety Zones announced earlier this month will be activated next week.

Starting on Monday, July 16, drivers who are caught on camera violating the speed limit will only be issued warnings. The cameras near Hiawatha Park, 8029 W. Forest Preserve Avenue will enforce speeds on the 8000 block of W. Forest Preserve Avenue and the 8000 block of W. Addison Street.

Kosciuszko Park, 2732 N. Avers Avenue, will have camera speed enforcement on the 3800 block of W. Diversey Avenue.

Traffic safety data shows that activated ASE cameras help achieve the goal of making Chicago’s communities safer by reducing speeding. ASE program data shows immediate changes in behavior once the previous cameras have been turned-on:

* Speeding violations drop by more than half (53%) within 90 days after cameras are turned on.

* 81 percent of violators who were issued a violation in a School Zone did not violate a second time; in Park Zones, 67 percent of violators did not repeat the offense.

Only warnings are issued for the first 30 days after cameras are activated in a Children’s Safety Zone. The first time a driver who violates the speed limit on camera is eligible to receive an enforceable violation, a warning will be issued instead. A second violation will result in a fine. Per city ordinance, fines for violations are $35 for vehicles traveling 6-10 miles per hour over the speed limit and $100 for vehicles traveling more than 10 miles over the speed limit.

The City is currently only issuing tickets to drivers going 10 or more miles per hour over the posted speed limit.

The City has installed ASE cameras in Children’s Safety Zones across Chicago in an effort to increase safety and reduce speeding. Revenue generated by the program is invested in critical safety initiatives and youth programs such as early childhood education, after-school programs and summer jobs programs for teens.

The Children’s Safety Zones are designated within 1/8th of a mile from Chicago parks or schools. The City ordinance establishing the program narrows the hours and locations of enforcement that are allowed under state law, and provides for the following:

* The enforcement hours are limited to 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in safety zones around schools on school days (Monday through Friday)

• 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.: 20 mph speed limit when children are present; the posted speed limit when no children are present
• 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.: the posted speed limit

* The enforcement hours around parks are limited to only those hours parks are open (typically 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., 7 days a week, however some parks operate with different hours, which are taken into account for purposes of enforcement).

For more information about Chicago’s ASE program, go to: https://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/cdot/supp_info/children_s_safetyzoneporgramautomaticspeedenforcement.html