WGN’s Extension 720 Talks Red Light Cameras Tonight
Extension 720 is the most cerebral radio show in the nation.
Milt Rosenberg has been holding forth every weeknight evening for 27 years, bringing some of the world’s leading thinkers to the air to discuss the issues of the day.
Now Dr. Rosenberg takes on red light cameras this evening’s show.
Rosenberg’s guests include Chicago Dept. of Transportation spokesperson Brian Steele, and Active Transportation Alliance president Rob Sadowsky to support the pro-red light camera position. The National Motorist Association’s Barnet Fagel and Republican nominee for Illinois state representative in the 11th district, Scott Tucker, will represent the anti-red light camera point of view.
You can hear all the fireworks this evening from 9 – 11 PM on WGN 720 AM or stream it live here.
The Active Transportation Alliance does a lot of good things. In this case, however, they are wrong — at least to the extent that Red Light Camera’s are currently managed. If, in fact, yellow’s are being shortened, for example, to enhance revenue, this puts bicyclists at further risk. At certain intersections, for example, the length of the entire Green-Yellow-Red cycle is almost not long enough for a bicyclist to clear an intersection. The length of traffic lights should be driven by Traffic Engineers with safety concerns, not revenue enhancement.
Where does it say the ATA opposes lengthening yellow light times? All I see indicated is that they are pro camera. It’s entirely conceivable they could both support cameras, as well as increasing the yellow light length, since those are independent issues.
The ATA doesn’t say that they oppose lengthening yellow light times. The problem is that they are duped over and over again into “signing on” to something that actually doesn’t solve the problem and makes it less safe for the non-drivers. The problem is that once the Cameras are in place the “revenue” guys will take over from the traffic engineers. This is going to be another Bike Lane debacle. (I am a regular bicycle rider. Bike Lanes, for the most part, have done nothing by increase the danger for bicyclists in the city. The Bike Lanes on Elston and Lawrence (Lawrence in particular) are down right dangerous. The “good” drivers pay attention to the bike lanes, the bad drivers view them as open pavement that they can use to pass on the right and no one pays any attention to the door zone. Bicyclists are far safer on parallel streets to the Bike Lane Streets. I blame the ATA for being duped into the idea of Bike Lanes.)