Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel has issued a request for proposals to companies interested in helping the city catch speeders. City Hall wants to do a five-year deal with a high-tech speed-camera vendor. It plans to set up as many as fifty cameras a year–electronic eyes on tempting lead foot locations like straightaways and school streets.
Red-light cameras–which provide gotcha snapshots of traffic light runners–have long been a staple in big cities. Chicago netted $69 million in fines from traffic light transgressors in 2010 alone. The city claims the cameras improve safety and act as a deterrent. The $69 million would seem to say otherwise.
