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Post by title1parent on Jun 11, 2010 5:40:48 GMT -5
Road closures announced to run Sunday's triathlonJune 11, 2010 From Submitted Reports The city of Naperville has announced street closures and parking restrictions that will be in effect throughout the U.S. Women's Triathlon taking place beginning at 7 a.m. Sunday. The triathlon starts and ends at Centennial Beach near downtown Naperville, with the event consisting of a .75-kilometer swim, 20-kilometer bike ride and 5-kilometer run. The course was redesigned this year due to the closure of the Jefferson Avenue Bridge. A color-coded map of the race route, times and locations of street closures, parking restrictions and tow-away zones is available at www.naperville.il.us/walkrun.aspx. The map requires Adobe Acrobat reader to view. The triathlon route streets will be closed beginning at approximately 6 a.m. and remain closed until approximately 11:30 a.m. Access to all businesses in Hobson West Commons and Old Kent Plaza located at the northeast corner of Rickert Drive and 75th Street is from Millbrook Drive and 75th Street during the U.S. Women's Triathlon. Roads will be opened as soon as the event participants clear the roadways. The race route only will be a no parking, tow zone from 5 a.m. to noon on that day and notice will be posted. accordingly. The streets of the race route will be reopened to traffic and the no parking, tow zone signs removed as soon as the Naperville Police Department determines it is appropriate based on public safety. Motorists should expect delays through the morning hours in and around the race area and take alternate routes or allow extra time to get to their destination, police said. The U.S. Women's Triathlon is an annual event that benefits the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. For more information on the event, visit www.uswts.com.
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Post by title1parent on Jun 21, 2010 4:35:04 GMT -5
www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/news/2407624,2_1_AU20_METRA_S1-100620.article Schedule changes for Metra Aurora line next monthJune 20, 2010 By JOSH LARSEN jlarsen@stmedianetwork.com Metra's schedule changes to the Burlington Northern Santa Fe line between Aurora and Chicago aren't major, but they will be around for a while. Due to a long-term construction project in Downers Grove, arrival and departure times for nearly two dozen trains going through the Aurora and Route 59 stations will be altered beginning July 12 and remain in effect through the early part of 2013. "The largest one is seven minutes," Metra spokesman Michael Gillis said of the schedule changes. A full detailing of the new schedule is available at bit.ly/metrasked . A summary can be found at bit.ly/metrasummary . According to Gillis, the Downers Grove project involves lowering Belmont Road under the BNSF tracks to allow motor vehicle traffic flow without interruption by trains. "That's a major north-south artery, and there are a lot of traffic tie-ups," Gillis said. The construction will require the BNSF line to be reduced from three tracks to two tracks near the Belmont Station. The train schedule must be adjusted because some express trains will no longer be able to pass local trains in the area, since the third (passing) track will be unavailable.
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Post by title1parent on Jul 6, 2010 6:40:11 GMT -5
www.suburbanchicagonews.com/napervillesun/news/2467250,6_1_NA06_REDLIGHT_S1-100706.article Red-light study: Crashes are downJuly 6, 2010 Sun By JENETTE STURGES jsturges@stmedianetwork.com New data is out on Naperville's red-light cameras, and crashes are down. Violations, however, have not seen the same decrease. Naperville's automated red-light photo enforcement program was on track to issue 20,000 tickets by last sometime last month. A report released by Naperville's police and transportation departments shows crashes are down between 10 and 31 percent at Route 59 and North Aurora Road, Route 59 and Diehl Road, and Ogden and Aurora Avenues since the cameras were installed at the three intersections. But drivers, it seems, are still just as likely to run the lights, depending on how you run the numbers. According to the report, which compared the four months from February to May of 2009 and 2010, "total violations have decreased 9.0 percent." But a look at all intersections combined for the whole time since the cameras were installed shows the average number of tickets written is staying about the same. A similar report released in February showed the city was issuing about 46 tickets per day. The most recent report shows almost 49 tickets each day on average. The number of accidents involving injuries has decreased only slightly over the past three-year average. Over the past two-year average, it has stayed about the same, with 10.5 accidents involving injuries on average in the two years prior to the cameras and the same average, 10.5, since the cameras were turned on. Turning right on red is the number one way to fetch a $100 fine. At intersections where right turns on red are prohibited, tickets for making the illegal maneuver are double those issued for left turn and straight through violations. For the city, the steady ticketing may be good news. During the first phase of the red-light camera program, staff and council members overestimated the number of tickets that might be issued and figured $2.7 million in revenues into this year's budget. That figure had to be adjusted down to $1 million just prior to the budget's passing. So far in 2010, the city has already cited more than $780,000 in tickets in the first five months of the year. But for frustrated motorists, there may be tiny rays of hope yet. After all, you can always appeal. Since the program's inception, 628 drivers have. Of those, 27 violations were overturned, or about 3.4 percent, or 0.1 percent of all tickets written. If those don't seem like good odds, drivers have one more option: complain to the council. The Naperville City Council will be considering enforcement of right turn on red violations at its next meeting, 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 20, in the council chambers of the Naperville Municipal Center, 400 S. Eagle St. ___________________-- There is a graphic on there to show comparisons at the various locations. If you go to the link, you can click on it.
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Post by asmodeus on Jul 6, 2010 7:53:02 GMT -5
I don't see anything in the article that shows where the 10% and 31% crash reductions come from. The only crash numbers mentioned (10.5 average over two years) show that the accident rates have not changed, and furthermore, it is such a small number that any change would show huge percentages.
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Post by title1parent on Jul 9, 2010 22:03:15 GMT -5
www.suburbanchicagonews.com/napervillesun/news/2482774,Red-light-cameras-Illinois-NA071010.article State law cracks down on red light camerasJuly 9, 2010 The Associated Press SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — A new Illinois law adds the human touch to traffic tickets generated by automated "red light" cameras. The law requires an official to verify the violation before any citation is issued. Drivers also will be allowed to view the evidence online, and they can't be charged an extra fee for contesting the ticket. The law gives drivers a little more leeway to stop beyond the white line at a red light, so long as they don't enter the intersection. Previously, even pulling past the line by a few feet could trigger a ticket. Gov. Pat Quinn signed the measure into law Friday. It takes effect Jan. 1.
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Post by title1parent on Jul 16, 2010 5:43:32 GMT -5
www.suburbanchicagonews.com/napervillesun/news/2502364,6_1_NA16_ROUTE59_S1-100716.article New interchange design for Route 59 at I-88?City, IDOT consider options to relieve traffic congestion July 16, 2010 By KATHY MILLEN kmillen@stmedianetwork.com The city of Naperville and the Illinois Department of Transportation are looking at the feasibility of constructing a relatively new road design at the Route 59 interchange at Interstate 88. The city and IDOT unveiled a display of the "diverging diamond interchange" configuration Wednesday night at the Naperville Municipal Center as part of a public open house on overall plans for the Route 59 expansion project. Proponents of the "diverging diamond" design say it will ease traffic congestion, increase safety and be less costly than other similar interchanges. While already in use in cities in Europe and Mexico, the only cities in the United States where the diverging diamond is in place are St. Louis and Springfield, Mo. It is designed to move traffic to the opposite side of the road at a traffic signal and allow vehicles to move left onto the I-88 ramp without stopping, said Jennifer Mitchell, senior transportation engineer for HDR, a Chicago-based traffic consulting firm. Vehicles accessing the I-88 ramp from the right will pass through without stopping before the traffic crosses over to the left. Vehicles leaving I-88 will be able to flow left or right onto Route 59 without stopping. "You aren't really turning," Mitchell said. "You're just transitioning, following the visual clues of where to go. There will be a noticeable difference in terms of time spent there and the number of cars." The potential safety benefits of the diverging diamond include slower intersection speeds of 25 to 30 mph, better sight distance for turning movements, the elimination of wrong way entry to ramps and more. Potential operational benefits include higher overall capacity and the need for only a two-phase signal, resulting in a shorter cycle length. The design also gives trucks more room to maneuver. John Baczek, project and environmental studies section chief with the Illinois Department of Transportation, said IDOT is still studying the diverging diamond configuration. While it shows promise in reducing congestion and improving safety, the concept needs further study, he said. "While these are all things it can potentially do, we still have to make sure we go through the analysis and learn as much as we can about it and ensure that this design does make sense to implement in this location," he said. Naperville city engineer Bill Novack said most people he's talked to have been impressed by the diverging diamond. "Everyone here today is intrigued about it," he said. "I haven't heard anyone say 'don't do it.' It's a neat concept, one that's been going on in Missouri for a year and it's worked very well." Wednesday's was the second Route 59 expansion project open house held by the city and IDOT. Several revisions were made since the first open house in September including: • Changing the eastbound on ramp from Route 59 to I-88 from one lane to two lanes. • Providing four lanes along northbound/southbound Route 59 between Diehl Road and the I-88 eastbound ramps. • Right of way and easement revisions at the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway. • Introduction of the diverging diamond interchange. The Route 59 expansion has been under study for the last seven years. The plan addresses improvements to the three-mile stretch of Route 59 through Naperville and Aurora extending south of the I-88 interchange to Aurora Avenue. According to city of Naperville and IDOT reports, more than 50,000 vehicles travel this portion of Route 59 each day. As a result, the roadway is heavily congested for 14 hours a day, seven days a week. Delays approach 30 minutes during the worst periods. Additionally, almost 400 traffic accidents occur on this stretch of road each year, resulting in some 150 injuries. Planned improvements include widening the roadway to three lanes in each direction, improving intersections to provide additional turn and through lanes, modifying access to destinations along Route 59, improving access to I-88, enhancing pedestrian access along Route 59 and improving traffic signal coordination. City and IDOT studies indicate traffic delays at major intersections would be reduced from 30 to 60 percent with these improvements. The study report is being finalized for review and approval by IDOT and the Federal Highway Administration. Once approved, IDOT will begin the next phase of the expansion project, which includes land acquisition and preparation of the construction documents. Many of those at Wednesday's open house live along Route 59. Nancy Evans said she was concerned how the road widening would affect her property. Miriam Ferguson said she was confused by the diverging diamond proposal. "I can't get it in my head how this is going to work," she said. "Anyone who's not been on it and is not used to it, there will be a lot of problems with it at first." John Minehart said he was impressed with the expansion plan and fascinated by the diverging diamond interchange. "I think this is going to be great," he said. "I must admit, during the construction, it's going to be a pain. It looks like if they do this diverging diamond thing, I think there will be greater traffic flow. I think the flow is going to be much better and people aren't going to have to be sitting a lights waiting to turn left like they do now." Phase I design approval for the expansion project is anticipated this summer. Phase II, which includes contract plan preparation and land acquisition, is expected to take place 18 to 24 months after that. The construction project is included in IDOT's Fiscal Year 2011 to 2016 Proposed Highway Improvement Program pending fund availability and plan readiness. Estimated cost of construction, not including land acquisition, is $83 million.
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Post by asmodeus on Jul 16, 2010 8:21:48 GMT -5
As long as they don't add a toll...
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Post by title1parent on Jul 18, 2010 8:44:00 GMT -5
www.suburbanchicagonews.com/napervillesun/news/2507186,6_1_NA18_REDLIGHTS_S1-100718.article Red-light cameras back in spotlight July 18, 2010 By JENETTE STURGES jsturges@stmedianetwork.com Revenue from the city's three red-light cameras could drop significantly depending on the decisions to be made Tuesday by the Naperville City Council. The council will be receiving a report from the Naperville Police Department and deciding whether to continue to enforce right turn on red violations ticketed through the city's Automated Red Light Photo Enforcement program. Right turn on red violations, whether the vehicles fail to stop before the white line or a No Right on Red sign is posted, account for a large portion of tickets issued by the camera program. According to a memo from the city's Transportation, Engineering and Development department, if the city were to stop ticketing for illegal right turns, revenue for the camera program would drop by $600,000 this year. That's more than half of the $1 million the city has budgeted for fiscal year 2011. Since the program's inception in January 2009, the city has added up more than $1.8 million in revenue, about $1.3 million of which has already been collected. Most nearby cities, including Aurora, Geneva, Lombard and Carol Stream, enforce right turn on red rules to some degree. The only nearby village that does not enforce right turn on red rules at all is Plainfield. According to the agenda item, "The Police Department has used the same discretion as an officer would use in the field to enforce the violation," however, during red-light ticket hearings held July 10 at the Municipal Center, drivers complained the city's adjudicator would not rule in the drivers' favor because, in many cases, the driver stopped outside of the view of the camera. City staff are recommending the council to continue enforcing right turn on red laws at the taped intersections, citing law and safety concerns. But, according to the agenda item, should the council stop ticketing right turn on red violations, staff recommends the cameras at Ogden and Aurora Avenue disappear, despite decreased crashes. "Although the installation had decreased total, angle and rear-end collisions, the cost of the contract with RedFlex will exceed the revenues generated when removing right turn on red violations," reads the agenda item. And that's the question surrounding the program: is it about safety or the money? Accidents at each of the three intersections monitored by the cameras, which also include Route 59 and North Aurora and Route 59 and Diehl Road, have dropped slightly. Tickets, however, continue to be issued at the same rate. The City Council will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the council chambers of the Naperville Municipal Center, 400 S. Eagle St.
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Post by title1parent on Jul 20, 2010 8:27:23 GMT -5
www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=395055&src=Cook County tries to bully suburbs Daily Herald Editorial 7/20/2010 If you had any remaining delusions that the controlling faction of the Cook County Board of Commissioners actually represents the county's suburbanites, you should drop them now. In the latest outrage, board President Todd Stroger and his supporters threaten to abdicate maintenance of some suburban road intersections if the towns won't let the county put red-light cameras there (and collect all the ticket money from mostly suburban drivers.) In typical Stroger fashion, his administration did not talk to suburban officials before the county board voted to cash in on the red-light camera craze by sticking the towns with the devices at a number of intersections that include at least one county-owned road. Later pressured to let towns say no to the cameras, Stroger and his allies apparently were caught by surprise when nearly every Northwest Cook County town proceeded to opt out. Now, Stroger has obtained a legal opinion from the Cook County state's attorney's office saying towns that reject the county-operated red-light cameras are claiming jurisdiction over the intersections in question and now become liable for maintenance, including repaving, traffic lights, snow plowing, signage and cleanup. That's expensive - potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars a year for Schaumburg alone, which has taken down its own red-light cameras and decidedly does not want to host a half-dozen for the county. The county's strong-arm maneuver will cost suburban residents any way you look at it - in legal fees, in higher road maintenance costs or in $50 tickets for slow-rolling right turns on red. At least Stroger's money grubbing settles one thing: The county's interest in red-light cameras has little to do with public safety and a lot to do with generating cash. It goes without saying that the suburbs need to band together to challenge the county's position rather than give in to Stroger's bullying. Stroger spokeswoman Chris Geovanis hints the legal opinion just might leave room for negotiating. But suburban residents don't want the county's red-light cameras or the new road-maintenance nightmare, and towns should not settle for a compromise that includes either of those intrusions. County commissioners from the suburbs - all of them up for re-election in November - need to join forces across party lines to fend off Stroger's latest attack. Let's hope that once Stroger's gone after the fall election, the county board will come to realize that threats are not the way to improve its dysfunctional relationship with the suburbs.
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Post by title1parent on Jul 21, 2010 7:25:16 GMT -5
www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=395377&src=76Naperville says no red light camera tickets for right turnsBy Melissa Jenco | Daily Herald 7/21/2010 Naperville has put the brakes on using red-light cameras to catch right-on-red violators. Councilmen on Tuesday said they are not convinced there is enough of a safety issue with motorists turning right to justify using cameras. "It's a sense of justice, it's a sense of why am I being hauled into court, why is government descending on me when I should be left alone right now," Councilman Bob Fieseler said. Naperville operates cameras at three intersections - Route 59 and North Aurora Road, Route 59 and Diehl Road, and Ogden and Aurora avenues. Those caught violating driving laws are fined $100. City staff members made a case Tuesday for keeping right-on-red violations. Marcie Schatz, director of transportation, engineering and development, said officers review all violations and the city does not issue tickets to people turning right on red if they make a complete stop, even if they do so beyond the stop line. The cameras also are not triggered if drivers approach the intersection at 17 miles per hour or less. Schatz said the goals of the cameras are to reduce crashes and red-light violations, and those "are substantially being met." "It's time we all fess up to the fact our driving habits as a society, and Naperville is no different, have degenerated," Councilman Jim Boyajian said. "This is tool police officers have at their disposal to carry out the sworn duty we've given them, and that is to uphold law." But the majority of councilmen said they did not see statistics proving there is a significant number of crashes caused by people turning right on red. Councilman Doug Krause argued the citations are "about revenue, not safety." Councilmen voted 6-3 to stop using cameras for right-on-red violations. Councilmen Judy Brodhead, Fieseler, Krause, Richard Furstenau, Grant Wehrli and Paul Hinterlong voted to get rid of the citations while Mayor George Pradel, Kenn Miller and Boyajian voted to keep them. The city still will use the cameras to enforce the violations on eastbound North Aurora Road at Route 59 where turning right on red is illegal. Eliminating right-on-red enforcement, excluding this intersection, is estimated to reduce annual revenues by about $600,000. Red: Council defies city recommendations
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Post by title1parent on Jul 23, 2010 6:04:56 GMT -5
www.suburbanchicagonews.com/napervillesun/news/2525522,6_5_NA23_PULSE_S1-100723.article Don't get caught red-handed Sun 7/23/10 Slow down, and you just might get away with it. Running a red light, that is. As it turns out, the red-light cameras mounted at three Naperville intersections must be "tripped" by a vehicle traveling at least 18 mph at Route 59 and Diehl Road, and Route 59 and North Aurora Road, to begin capturing images. At Ogden and Aurora avenues, the threshold is 12 mph. "We're not talking about vehicles that are rolling through intersections at 2, 3, 5, 8 miles an hour," said Marcie Schatz, of the city's Transportation, Engineering and Development department, during her explanation of speed thresholds that guide each intersection. "A person driving through at 17 miles per hour isn't even going to trigger the system," Schatz said.
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Post by title1parent on Jul 27, 2010 9:21:50 GMT -5
Book Road to close in Naperville Daily Herald 7/26/2010
Book Road will be closed to all traffic between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Wednesday from 83rd Street to 87th Street.
The closure will allow for the paving of both sides of the road.
Detour signs will be posted for northbound and southbound traffic.
Northbound motorists will be detoured west on 87th Street to northbound Route 59 to 83rd Street.
Southbound motorists will be detoured west on 83rd Street to southbound Route 59 to 87th Street.
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Post by title1parent on Jul 29, 2010 5:17:11 GMT -5
www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/news/2545304,2_1_AU29_REDLIGHT_S1-100729.article Most who fight red-light camera tickets loseJuly 29, 2010 Beacon By JENETTE STURGES jsturges@stmedianetwork.com Temple Wells drives through the intersection of Route 59 and North Aurora Road on her way to work each morning, just as she has for years. So when the Aurora woman received an automated ticket from the city of Naperville for running a right turn on a red light at the camera-monitored intersection, Wells was shocked. Wells was one of about 50 drivers waiting to make her case in an administrative hearing this month on automated red-light tickets. The administrative hearing at the Naperville Municipal Center is the first step to fighting tickets that drivers believe were issued unfairly. "He said the light is red. I said it's yellow, plain as day," Wells said of the hearing process. During the hearing, Wells was invited to watch the video captured of her car and make her case. It's a difficult case to fight, too. The lawyer adjudicating the hearing, Victor Puscas, said only three or four of the 74 people expected to show had their decisions reversed at the hearing. In Aurora, the trend is similar. City spokesman Dan Ferrelli said only 195 of the city's 6,091 red-light tickets issued through Monday have been called for appeal. And, Ferrelli said, that doesn't mean they all show up. "Some have requested a hearing and then changed their minds and went ahead and paid the violation," he said. "Others were no-shows." Only two tickets issued were actually reversed, he said. The other violators were advised to pay up or appeal at a later date. According to Aurora police, since cameras were installed in October 2009 at the first of the city's three intersections -- New York Street and Farnsworth Avenue, New York Street and Commons Drive, and Farnsworth Avenue and Molitor Road -- they've helped reduce crashes by 43 percent. East New York Street and Eola Road is the city's latest intersection to receive the camera upgrades. Safety or revenue? The Automated Red Light Photo Enforcement Program has been contentious since its inception in Naperville in early 2009, with the Naperville City Council split over whether the cameras are an effort at safety or filling coffers. That's, in part, because Naperville's traffic cameras have issued roughly 20,000 tickets since the start of the program last year, each costing drivers $100. The cameras have been shown to reduce, slightly, some kinds of crashes at the intersections, but are also budgeted to make about $1 million for the city this fiscal year. And the council recently tangled with the cameras again, this time deciding to no longer enforce violations for right turns made on red lights, unless No Right on Red is posted. Drivers caught by the cameras seem similarly torn. "If that's how they have to get their revenue, that's sad," said Naperville resident Leslee Reed, who lost her hearing for a right turn on red at Route 59 and Diehl Road. "I just don't think it's appropriate." "Actually, I think they're a good idea," said Ken Hillblom, who had driven from his home in Mokena to fight his ticket. "But I think it depends on the intersection." Hillblom lost his hearing on a right turn on red infraction. He says he stopped at the intersection of Route 59 and Diehl, but just outside the camera's view. Because the adjudicator couldn't see Hillblom's wheels stop, he said, he was fined. "I made my stop, but it was outside the camera's view," Hillblom said. Fighting city hall In Aurora, Ferrelli said tickets are not issued for any violations caught on camera unless the officer reviewing the recording would have written the ticket had they witnessed the infraction in person. The scope of the cameras was just one of the myriad complaints drivers had of the system and its enforcement. Chief among the complaints were the seemingly subjective nature of the hearings, which are adjudicated by a city-paid attorney and the Naperville Police Department's traffic sergeant, both on the city's payroll. In Aurora, hearings are run by a hearing officer and a traffic division police officer. Both are on the city's payroll. But fighting city hall should soon get a little easier. Gov. Pat Quinn signed a new law this month, effective Jan. 1, giving drivers more wiggle room to stop past the white line of an intersection. That could have a significant effect on the number of tickets that stick to people driving through Naperville, as the majority of tickets were issued for right-on-red violations. Since the program started, only 27 of the more than 18,000 tickets issued through May had been reversed, or about 0.15 percent. Most drivers interviewed said they planned to appeal. Among them was Wells. "You've got to be fair to the taxpayers," Wells said. Staff writer Erika Wurst contributed to this report.
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Post by asmodeus on Jul 29, 2010 7:56:25 GMT -5
I am pleased that a human being actually reviews a video before confirming the infraction. I was under the impression the whole process is automated.
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Post by gatordog on Jul 29, 2010 10:08:52 GMT -5
I am pleased that a human being actually reviews a video before confirming the infraction. I was under the impression the whole process is automated. I wonder how often the human overturns what the automated system flags as a violation? I am sure that is a closely-guarded company secret.
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