Speeding tickets will begin to be issued on Friday from Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) cameras in the Children’s Safety Zone near St. Rita High School on the Southwest Side.

The three cameras near St. Rita are located at 7739 and 7738 S. Western Ave. and 2550 W. 79th Street. Tickets issued from these cameras are scheduled to begin on the morning of Friday, January 31st.

In most locations, one camera system can enforce the speed limit for traffic traveling in both directions. In this zone, Western Avenue is too wide to rely on one system, necessitating two cameras to accurately enforce traffic traveling north and south.

Also on January 31st, newly installed ASE cameras near Lane Tech College Prep at 3521 and 3534 N. Western Ave. and 2549 W. Addison St., and near Currie High School at 4929 and 5030 S. Pulaski Rd. and 4965 S. Archer Ave. will begin to issue warnings to motorists. Tickets will be issued from these cameras on March 16th.

These zones also require three cameras, due to the width of the streets. The City will start enforcement by only issuing tickets for speeders going 10 or more miles per hour over the posted speed limit. That ticket threshold will gradually be lowered going forward.

Fines for violations are $35 for vehicles traveling 6-10 miles per hour over the posted speed limit while in a safety zone, and $100 for vehicles traveling 11 or more miles over the posted speed limit.

The City plans to equip Children’s Safety Zones around parks and schools with ASE cameras in an effort to increase safety and reduce speeding. Any revenue generated by the program is to be invested in critical safety initiatives including after-school, anti-violence and jobs programs; crossing guards and police officers around schools; and infrastructure improvements, such as additional signs, crosswalk markings and other traffic safety improvements.

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 will be limited from 7 am to 7 pm in safety zones around schools on school days (Monday through Friday); 7 am to 4 pm: 20 mph speed limit when children are present; 30 mph speed limit when no children are present 4 pm to 7 pm: 30 mph speed limit

• The enforcement hours around parks will be limited to only those hours parks are open (typically 6am to 11pm, 7 days a week) with a 30 mph speed limit.

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