The Chicago Transit Board has approved an expansion of the Automated Bus Lane Enforcement program, adding new cameras that enforce parking violations in bus and bike lanes and at bus stops.
CTA Acting President Nora Leerhsen said during the board meeting the agency is going from a program of 6 camera-equipped busses to 52.
“When bus lanes and bus stops are blocked by illegal parking our operators can’t safely deploy ramps, and that’s not a minor inconvenience,” she said. “For many riders who use mobility devices it can be the difference between a trip that’s possible and one that’s not.”
The point is access, she told the board.
“This expansion is about giving every rider that same reliable, predictable access to our system.”
Leerhsen said with just 6 cameras operating between October of last year and May of this year, there were nearly 22,000 warnings and violations.
“Scaling to 52 busses means the impact grows significantly, with stronger enforcement on the number 20 Madison, the number 36 Broadway, the number 66 Chicago Avenue and the number 8 Halsted.”
The fine for parking in a bus lane is $90.00.
The installation of the additional cameras is expected to be completed this fall.
This is a pilot program.
"As the pilot data has shown, automated bus lane enforcement improves reliability, swiftness, and capacity for buses to safely deploy ramps at bus stops to ensure accessible and safe boarding for people with disabilities,” the chair of the ADA Advisory Committee Laura Salzman said in a statement. “Public transportation is an important piece of independence and autonomy for disabled people, and more reliable and faster bus trips can make the difference between an achievable trip and one that is not for many in our community."
