Beginning in July the State of Illinois will use speed cameras in areas designated as "work zones" on major freeways. Anyone caught by the devices will be mailed a $375 ticket for the first offense, but a second ticket will cost $1000 and comes with a 90-day license suspension. Drivers will also face higher insurance premiums as the first offense remains on the record for 4-5 years, but a second offense remains for a minimum of 7 years. This represents the harshest penalty structure yet for a state using photo enforcement.

Illinois will begin with two camera vans issuing tickets in zones with speed limits lowered to 45 MPH. Photographs of both the driver's face and license plate are taken. Officials plan to keep at least one van in the Chicago area on the Dan Ryan and Kingery Expressways while other vans issue tickets in the rest of the state. Illinois Tollway Executive Director Jack Hartman promised more work zones: "Since the Tollway just launched our $5.3 billion Congestion Relief Plan, drivers will see more work zones on the Tollway than they have in the past."

Text of Illinois speed camera law.

IDOT's announcement represents yet another use of technology by authorities to crack down on traffic scofflaws. Chicago has been installing stationary cameras at busy intersections to catch and ticket red-light runners. During approximately the first year of the program, cameras at 10 locations had generated 67,400 citations, city officials said last fall.