CHICAGO — The Department of Transportation will begin installing speed cameras near four parks next week, and drivers will get a 30-day grace period before the speeding tickets begin showing up in the mail, city officials announced Friday.
The four locations — Garfield Park, Gompers Park, Washington Park and Marquette Park — will have speed cameras installed by the end of August, and CDOT announced an additional eight locations where drivers can expect cameras by the end of September.
Aside from the monthlong grace period, drivers will receive one warning ticket the first time they are caught speeding in a designated "safe zone."
Transportation Commissioner Gabe Klein said he expects the grace period, along with "extensive signage" in the safe zones, will make drivers pay closer attention to the speed limit.
"We expect to reduce the amount of speeding substantially, even beyond what other cities that use automated enforcement have experienced," Klein said in a statement.
Drivers can expect a $35 citations if they are caught driving 6 to 10 mph faster than the speed limit and a $100 citations if they are driving more than 11 miles per hour over the posted limit.
Speed zones near parks will be enforced 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily, CDOT officials said. Speed zones near schools will be enforced 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Including the 12 locations announced Friday, city officials said a total of 50 locations will be selected by the end of 2013. Revenue from speed cameras will be invested in a number of city "safety initiatives," including afterschool programs and anti-violence programs, according to a CDOT statement.
Speed camera locations announced Friday include:
Garfield Park, 100 North Central Park Avenue
Gompers Park, 4222 West Foster Avenue
Washington Park, 5531 South Dr. Martin Luther King Drive
Marquette Park, 67443 South Kedzie Avenue
Humboldt Park, 1440 North Humboldt Drive
Douglas Park, 1401 South Sacramento Drive
Curie High School, 4959 South Archer Avenue
McKinley Park, 2210 West Pershing Road
Jones High School, 606 South State Street
Legion Park, 3100 West Bryn Mawr Avenue
Abbott Park, 49 East 95th Street
Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences, 3857 West 111th Street
