Waukegan eyes five more red-light cameras

TenPas wants contract changes; Cunningham seeks review of fines

WAUKEGAN -- The city's roster of intersections with red-light cameras could have five more sites under a proposal before the City Council, though the measure stalled short of passage on Monday.

Under a measure that was up for approval but was tabled for at least two weeks by 6th Ward Ald. Larry TenPas, the five new photo-enforcement intersections would be Green Bay Road at Sunset Avenue, Waukegan Road at Pulaski Drive, Lewis Avenue at York House Road, Sheridan Road at Greenwood Avenue. and Grand Avenue at McAree Road.

Currently, the city has red-light cameras at two intersections -- Lewis and Sunset avenues, and Lewis and Glen Flora avenues -- while the state installed cameras last summer at Green Bay Road and Grand Avenue and Green Bay and Belvidere roads.

TenPas said he wanted time to confirm that the discussed changes to the city's agreement with a new vendor would be in its contract, while 1st Ward Ald. Sam Cunningham said he wanted to review the $100 fines imposed under the program.

The enforcement camera concept was debated at length during the Jan. 20 council meeting, with Cunningham and TenPas being joined by aldermen A.J. "Tony" Figueroa (4th) and Edith Newsome (5th) in voting against expanding the program.

"Personally, I don't like them," TenPas said in January, adding that "the biggest complaints" he gets from constituents are tickets issued for making a right turn on red without stopping at the line. TenPas lobbied for banning right turns on red at camera intersections, saying it would make the issue "very clear, very fair."

Cunningham said he hears complaints that the city court that handles the camera tickets, calling it "a kangaroo court." He added that the cameras were intended to reduce broadside accidents and instead have focused on right-turn violations.

But a majority of aldermen voiced support for the cameras, backing reports from police officials that they have helped reduce accidents. On Monday, 9th Ward Ald. Rafael Rivera called for addition of the five new intersections, saying, "I want to see something done at our next meeting."