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The speed camera ordinance passed out of committee Wednesday on a 7-3 vote, and it is scheduled for a vote by the full Chicago City Council on Wednesday, April 18. Active Transportation Alliance supports speed limit enforcement by cameras for the same reason we support speed limit enforcement by police: Both work to reduce speeding, crashes, injuries...
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Pedestrian and child safety have long made residential speed-limits a hotly debated topic. For many years the Columbia (Mo.) city council has heard from residents who wanted to lower the speed limit on a certain street, but city staff in the Public Works Department has resisted this idea, claiming that speed limit reductions have little effect on the...
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The Nudge blog hit upon a Volkswagen-sponsored contest to find ways to use fun to change behavior . The winning idea might point toward a solution for Illinois' red light camera whining: speed past a traffic camera, and you pay a fine which goes into a pot. Obey the speed limit, and the camera enters you into a lottery to win the pot. A message sign...
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Thanks to the alderman who voted yes today! Active Trans has long supported enforcement of traffic laws like speed limits—and speed cameras are another enforcement tool. Reducing crashes and injuries is one of Active Trans’ two overarching goals, along with shifting more trips to biking, walking and transit. And yes, despite what some say...
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In questioning whether Chicago is planning to put automatic speed enforcement cameras in the right locations to improve safety, the Chicago Tribune on Sunday also cast doubts about whether these cameras work at all to reduce crashes, injuries and deaths. ("Would speed cameras really save lives?") Do the cameras work? Absolutely. The Tribune...
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Incoming House Transportation Chair John Mica told The Associated Press that he believes high-speed trains are a good idea, but he doesn't agree with the projects selected by the Transportation Department for funding. "I am a strong advocate of high-speed rail, but it has to be where it makes sense," Mica said. "The administration squandered the money...
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As a Chicago Tribune article describes today, automated camera enforcement of speed limits in school zones in Chicago is challenging. That’s because state law establishes school zone speed limits of 20 mph, but only "on school days when children are present," and only between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. Otherwise, the limit is higher – often...
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The Chicago Tribune reporters appear to be more interested in blocking speed camera enforcement than reporting on it. In their latest story published today, even the headline is inaccurate: “Mayor's speed camera stats sketchy.” However, the Tribune analyzed red light camera enforcement in Chicago. To date there has been no speed camera enforcement...
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Ever wondered why pedestrians in some cities walk faster than others? Early research on urban walking speed--which dates back to 1976--suggests a correlation between a city’s walking speed and population. More recent research points in a different direction, however. In 1989 geographers D. Jim Walmsley and Gareth Lewis suggested that one key factor...
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Legislation allowing the use of automatic speed enforcement cameras in Chicago (and only in Chicago) passed yesterday in Springfield. Active Trans strongly supports this legislation because studies show that speed cameras significantly reduce the number of cars exceeding speed limits, and that makes walking and cycling easier and safer. The research...
