Expressway shootings continue to surge in Chicago
CHICAGO - Expressway shootings continue to surge in Chicago even though millions of dollars have been set aside for cameras and license plate readers.
In February of this year, the Illinois Department of Transportation allocated $12.5 million to upgrade cameras and add license plate readers and software to 47 locations on expressways, however, it still hasn't been done.
On Wednesday, a Chicago officer and two ATF agents were shot getting on I-57, heading northbound at 119th Street.
That same day, Illinois State police were also called to a shooting in the northbound lanes of the Dan Ryan, between 95th and 91st Street.
This year, officials say we are just nine shootings away from reaching last year’s expressway shooting record.
From January until July 7 of this year, there have been 119 shootings on expressways. In 2020, the total number of expressway shootings was 128.
In 2019, 52 shootings were reported on Chicago expressways.
The Tamara Clayton Expressway Camera Act, which was created after a postal worker was killed on an expressway on her way to work in 2019, promises 300 cameras will be added to expressways.
MORE: State police gets $12 million for new cameras to combat spike in expressway shooting
There was no video of Clayton's killing and the case remains unsolved.
State Representative Thaddeus Jones worked on the legislation.
"I can say we have the fiber optics and the cable run, we have the money and purchased the equipment, I can say we are at the last stage," said Rep. Jones.
The project to install the new technology is now 85-percent complete, but there is still no exact timeline for when it will be done.
FOX 32 was told Illinois State Police plan to unveil the new technology soon.