Illinois State Police installing more license plate readers on Chicago expressways

CHICAGO - Illinois State Police announced Wednesday they are installing 56 more Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) on Chicago area expressways.

There are already 99 ALPRs monitoring the Dan Ryan Expressway. The additional 56 will more installed on I-90, I-290, I-55 and I-57.

"My administration is bringing over 150 automated license plate readers to Chicagoland expressways ahead of the summer, another step to enhance public safety for residents of and visitors to the nation’s third largest city," Governor JB Pritzker said in a statement.

The installation of the additional ALPRs is expected to be complete by mid-May.

An automated license plate reader camera used by the Illinois State Police. | Illinois State Police

State police are hoping to have a total of 300 ALPRs on area expressways by the end of June 2022.

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State Representative Thaddeus Jones pushed for the Tamara Clayton Expressway Act. The postal worked was shot and killed while driving on I-57 in 2019 and there was no video to show what happened.

"The message it sends to the criminals: don't shoot on our expressways," Jones said.

Fifty-one shootings on Chicago area expressways have occurred in 2022 as of April 20. Twenty-six of the shootings have resulted in injuries. Fortunately, no deaths have occurred.

In the same time period last year, 66 expressway shootings took place, including 28 shootings resulting in injuries and seven deaths.

"The automated license plate reader is another tool to assist ISP patrol and investigations solve crimes and make Chicago area expressways safer for motorists," ISP Director Brenden F. Kelly said in a statement.