Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s speed camera ordinance, ordinance passed with a 35-14 vote at this morning’s Chicago City Council meeting. City Hall promises a slow start for speed cameras to be implemented near parks, schools. Speeders caught going 6 to 10 miles over the limit will get a $35 ticket. The fine jumps to $100 for drivers going 11 miles over the limit. This fine is similar to Chicago's current fine of $100 for red-light running violations.
Speed cameras are a great idea if you want to generate revenue. Lot’s of revenue. Millions if not hundreds of millions of dollars a year in revenue. When you realize that Chicago’s 191 red light camera locations generated over $69 million in 2010, potential 300 speed-camera locations could easily be the U.S.'s largest safety camera program.
Here is the PR video Chicago is using to promote the new program.
