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Inspector General's Audit Raises More Questions About Red Light Camera Program

By Chuck Sudo in News on May 14, 2013 4:40PM

Chicago Inspector General Joseph Ferguson’s office released the results of an audit of the troubled red light camera program this morning that indicates there are more problems regarding the program than bribery to be concerned about. (We’ve included a copy of the full audit below.)

In a release announcing the audit, Ferguson said the city has “a lack of basic record keeping and an alarming lack of analysis for an ongoing program that costs tens of millions of dollars a year and generates tens of millions more in revenue.” The audit found the Chicago Department of Transportation has no way of proving that red light cameras were installed at the city’s most-dangerous intersections when the program was implemented a decade ago, as stated in its “Intersection Prioritization Steps for Relocations.” Furthermore, only 10 cameras from five intersections have been relocated in that time; the city has 384 cameras at 190 locations. The audit also found the city is spending 56 percent of the purchase price for one set of cameras on maintenance.

Ferguson undertook the audit based on nine questions from six aldermen who wanted to know if CDOT was installing cameras based on its stated criteria of reducing “angle crashes” at intersections, instead of the program simply generating revenue in traffic tickets. The IGO recommended the city “establish and follow clear criteria for its decisions on where to locate automated traffic law enforcement systems” and “retain records and verifiable documentation of the process for each location decision.”

That would be nice.

CDOT responded to the audit by saying it will review installation and removal criteria for red light cameras to determine what modifications to the program they’ll implement in the future. They also vowed to work with the private contractor who will eventually be awarded the red light camera contract to ensure cameras are at the intersections designated by the department.

The red light camera program has been the subject of scrutiny for months since the Tribune reported last October that Redflex Traffic Systems paid for hotel rooms and trips for John Bills, the former CDOT official in charge of the program who is also at the center of a $2 million bribery probe by Redflex’s Australian parent company. Redflex's contract for the red light cameras has been extended twice while the bidding process for a new company to handle the program works itself out. The most recent extension issued last month was ostensibly granted to ensure a smooth transition of the red light camera program between Redflex and the company the city chooses to replace them.

The report's findings led Ald. Scott Waguespack (32nd), one of the critics of the program to tell DNAInfo Chicago that hearings will be held on the matter.

"They have zippo, nothing, nada," said Waguespack. "We are definitely going to move forward with a hearing on the cameras. This will be the basis of our hearings. Once this report comes out, there's no denying us a hearing on this."

Chicago Inspector General's Office Red Light Camera Program Audit