Where can a former Chicago transportation official embroiled in one of the biggest bribery scandals ever to hit City Hall go to get a fair trial?
Where can a former Chicago transportation official embroiled in one of the biggest bribery scandals ever to hit City Hall go to get a fair trial?
Chicago has the nation's largest red light camera system and the shortest allowable yellow lights — a unique and dangerous combination that makes rear-end crashes more likely across the city, a Tribune investigation has found.
Nearly half of the Chicago red light cameras included in a new Tribune study did nothing to make drivers safer and may have caused an increase in injury-related crashes.
Chicago's red light cameras fail to deliver the dramatic safety benefits long claimed by City Hall, according to a first-ever scientific study that found the nation's largest camera program is responsible for increasing some types of injury crashes while decreasing others.
After examining the Tribune's study of crash rates at red light camera intersections, the Emanuel administration has conceded that there was a key flaw in its own claim in October that right-angle crashes at such intersections were down 47 percent.
Here are comments from nationally recognized traffic experts who provided guidance to Tribune reporters during the process of gathering data for the study.
The Chicago Tribune commissioned a study of red light cameras with two researchers affiliated with Texas A&M; University who conducted the work as independent consultants.
The bagman in a $2 million bribery scandal over Chicago's red light camera program pleaded guilty to paying kickbacks to a former top city transportation official for steering the lucrative contract to the company he represented.
The state Supreme Court has dismissed a challenge to Chicago's red light camera program after two judges recused themselves and the rest of the court declared it was divided.
City Hall will not refund $7.7 million in red light camera tickets it collected after quietly lowering the yellow light standard, the city's transportation chief said.
Confronted with questions about a flurry of red light camera tickets stamped with yellow times below the 3-second minimum, City Hall said the fluctuation of hundredths of a second was normal.
The red light camera program was beset by "fundamentally deficient" management and inconsistent enforcement, according to a limited inspector general review that failed to solve the mystery of suspicious ticket spikes.
A Tribune examination of overturned red light tickets revealed evidence that the city of Chicago has quietly cast a wider net to snare drivers since switching camera vendors earlier this year amid a bribery scandal.
City Hall has promised 126 refunds to drivers tagged for $100 fines during suspicious spikes in red light camera tickets discovered by a Tribune investigation but upheld thousands of other tickets issued at the same times — all without explaining what caused the sudden surges.
The former CEO of Chicago's fired red light camera vendor, Redflex Traffic Systems Inc., pleaded not guilty today to federal charges she helped orchestrate a decade-long $2 million bribery scheme.
A former Chicago transportation manager and his longtime friend both pleaded not guilty Tuesday to federal bribery charges in an alleged $2 million scheme to rig the contract for the city's red light camera program.
The alleged bagman in a $2 million bribery scandal over Chicago's red light camera contract is cooperating with federal authorities and has testified in the ongoing grand jury investigation, the Tribune has learned.
More than 9 out of 10 Chicago voters say changes should be made to the city's red light camera program, but are split on what to do, a Tribune poll finds.
Chicago's red light camera scandal deepened Wednesday with the federal indictment of a former Redflex Traffic Systems CEO on charges she and a top City Hall manager conspired to rig the camera business for a decade.
The investigation into the city's besieged red light camera program comes in response to Tribune reporting on suspicious spikes in tickets.
City Hall plans to start sending out letters Friday to at least 9,000 drivers with details of the review process to determine whether the city sends them $100 refunds for red light camera citations.
Former employee says he detailed how city official coached executives on how to get contract, also answered questions about yellow light times
Process remains unclear, however
For the fifth straight day Mayor Rahm Emanuel wouldn't answer questions about a Tribune investigation that revealed a series of suspicious red light camera ticket spikes.
Aldermen want probe, potential refunds
Analysis of 4 million violations recorded since 2007 reveals suspicious patterns at dozens of intersections, raises questions about system's management
Analysis shows appeals of tickets received during spikes could have been successful
Some drivers offer unusual excuses to get out of red light camera tickets, but perhaps none has been more novel than taking Elton John to the airport as part of a police escort.
Ald. Brendan Reilly, reacting today to a Tribune investigation about sudden and unexplained spikes in red-light camera tickets at certain intersections, called on the Emanuel administration to determine the cause and issue refunds where appropriate.
There are many details about infractions in the data at the top of the still photographs that remain available at photonotice.com:
John Bills was a top Madigan operative with family links to the mob who partied on the field with World Series champs. Now he's at the center of the feds' red light bribery case.
UPDATE: The former City Hall manager who ran Chicago's red-light camera program was arrested today on federal charges related to the investigation of an alleged $2 million bribery scheme involving the city¿s longtime vendor, Redflex Traffic Systems.
Chicago official coached red light company before crucial City Hall meeting, he says
Chicago's embattled red light camera firm went to City Hall on Friday in its latest effort to come clean, acknowledging for the first time that its entire program here was likely built on a $2 million bribery scheme.
Fired Redflex exec names 13 other states, says he's aiding federal inquiry
Xerox State & Local Solutions to get $19 million to replace cameras and up to $44 million for 5-year pact
Cameras to be removed from 18 intersections with few crashes
Company that lost its Baltimore contract this year would replace Redflex
Monthlong trial at 4 sites found more than 93,000 violators, city says
Deadline for new deal indefinite as City Hall, bidders figure out how to take over complex red-light camera system
Disclosure raises fresh questions over mayor's self-imposed curbs on campaign contributions
Seeking to reverse their fortunes amid a debilitating Chicago corruption scandal, top executives of Redflex Traffic Systems flew to Florida for a personal pitch to local officials having second thoughts about giving the company a major contract for a red-light camera system.
Controversial firm has been barred from new city business
Mayor bars company from bidding on new contract in light of disclosures of lavish gifts to ex-city official and of a cover-up
Beleaguered firm had been major contender for Emanuel's new program before scandal broke
Red flags were raised by red-light camera company's dealings with city as early as 2007
Experts say law firm hired to conduct initial investigation of bribery allegations may have been hamstrung or deceived by red-light camera firm
Authorities seek financial records of commissioner who oversaw red-light camera program
The president, chief financial officer and top lawyer for Chicago's red light camera company resigned this week amid an escalating corruption scandal that has cost Redflex Traffic Systems Inc. its lucrative, decadelong relationship with the city.
The chairman of the City Council’s Finance Committee today called for hearings into allegations that Chicago’s red-light camera contract was likely built on a $2 million bribery scheme.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced today he will axe the city’s embattled red-light camera vendor when its contract expires in July, citing new investigative findings that the company gave thousands of dollars in free trips to the former city official who oversaw the decade-long program.
Embattled red-light camera vendor Redflex Traffic Systems Inc. fired its executive vice president Wednesday and accused him of misconduct involving the company's scandal-plagued Chicago contract.
Ties between ex-city official, contractor questioned; payment of $910 hotel tab also at issue