- Mayor Rahm Emanuel put out a call to companies interested in bidding for the city's speed-camera business, providing the first detailed look at how Chicago plans to operate the system.
Speed cameras can be installed in up to 300 areas in the city, which would allow the administration to cover nearly half of Chicago. The city intends to install a minimum of 25 cameras over the life of the contract, according to the request for proposals, and no more than 50 in the first year.
The city is looking to sign a five-year contract with a vendor. It's also willing to extend the contract to up to three two-year periods — making it a potentially lucrative long-term deal. Red-light cameras generated $69 million for the city in 2010, and speed cameras likely would increase ticket revenue considerably.
Driving taxpayers out of Chicago, one camera at a time.