Traffic cameras aren't necessary

As a lifetime resident of Carol Stream, I am angered at the fact that the village is seeking to put traffic cameras at two intersections in town.

According to an article in the Daily Herald, village officials said the program would "pay for itself."

I don't get it. We tax the people of Carol Stream to install and monitor cameras and hire lawyers, and we tax the people again each time we fine them for traffic violations, and we call this double tax "self-funding"?

I travel up and down North Avenue every day, and I do occasionally see near-accidents. Yet they are almost always caused by people slamming on their brakes when they see our town's police officers in speed traps, enforcing a speed limit that is set dangerously below the average speed of traffic.

Traffic engineering studies show the safest speed limit is the 85th percentile speed. Perhaps raising North Avenue's speed limit to 55 mph would do more good than cameras and cops. If money saved is money earned, maybe such a move would even pay for itself.

Tim Vock

Carol Stream