The City of Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) and Department of Finance are launching a new pilot program that will improve roadside safety and modernize the city’s enforcement of parking violations.
A city ordinance, passed by the Chicago City Council in 2023, approved the development of two pilot programs – the Smart Street Pilot and the commercial zone-oriented Smart Loading Zone Pilot – seeking to encourage safer driver behavior and better parking compliance in downtown Chicago.
The Smart Street Pilot Program will allow CDOT to install cameras on city poles, city-owned vehicles and Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) buses. Developed with safety as a main priority, the modernization program looks to speed up public transportation operations, improve traffic safety and enhance protections for pedestrians and bicyclists.
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“The Smart Streets Pilot Program advances the City’s ability to enforce safe streets for all modes of transit,” City Comptroller Chasse Rehwinkel said in a press release. “Chicago’s cyclists and pedestrians should feel safe traveling across our great city and this is an important step forward towards making sure we have both—a walkable and a bikeable city.”
Focusing on mobile applications, the pilot program will use new imaging technologies on city-owned vehicles and buses to enforce parking violations, specifically in bus and bike lanes.
Initially, CDOT will install cameras on eight city vehicles for parking enforcement on Chicago’s streets. These cameras, along with automated license plate readers and other equipment, will record offending vehicles and submit images for review by the Traffic Compliance Administrator.
Next year, Chicago plans to integrate cameras in up to six CTA buses to improve the public transit system’s safety and efficiency. In the future, CDOT plans on enforcing additional parking violations through the camera program, including tickets for vehicles that have not paid the parking meter.
As of the date of the announcement, CDOT will issue a 30-day warning period to enforce tickets through the pilot program. Starting Dec. 5, registered vehicle owners who park in bus or bike lanes will receive one mailed warning prior to CDOT serving fines for subsequent infractions.
The pilot program will run for two years after the agency issues the first ticket. When this date is determined, CDOT and DOF will provide a summary report to the City Council at least 120 days prior to the program’s conclusion. This report will include automated enforcement effectiveness, operational best practices, fee collection technologies and recommendations for a permanent automated parking enforcement program.
“By keeping bus and bike lanes clear of illegal parking, we can ensure that Chicago’s growing network of dedicated bus and bike lanes are operating at their full potential, improving safety while also reducing delays for commuters and improving orderly traffic flow,” CDOT Commissioner Tom Carney said in a press release. “This pilot program is a critical step in making our streets more efficient, accessible and safe for everyone.”
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