NYC Plans to Skyrocket Red Light Cameras in Quest for Safer Streets
New York City officials are set to significantly ramp up their red light camera program, aiming to quadruple the current number of cameras at 150 intersections by the end of the year. The Transportation Department plans to deploy new cameras at 50 locations per week for the next five weeks, with a goal of reaching 600 total intersections over the course of 10 months.
The expansion comes after pressure from former Mayor Eric Adams, who pushed for increased enforcement measures. State lawmakers responded by passing a law in 2024 allowing the cameras to be installed at 600 intersections. This is a significant increase from the original limit set in the 1990s and has remained unchanged since 2009.
According to Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn, the new program aims to reduce red light running, which poses a significant threat to public safety. The cameras have already proven effective, reducing incidents by as much as 73% in the intersections where they are installed. Flynn plans to pair this increased enforcement with ambitious street redesigns to create safer streets.
The locations of the new cameras will be kept secret for now, but officials say the program will target areas with high rates of crashes. Drivers caught running red lights can expect to receive a $50 ticket from the city.
Data suggests that the program has already shown promise, with intersections equipped with red light cameras witnessing a 65% reduction in T-bone crashes and a 49% decrease in rear-end collisions. The cameras are seen as an important tool in cracking down on reckless drivers and improving overall road safety.
New York City officials are set to significantly ramp up their red light camera program, aiming to quadruple the current number of cameras at 150 intersections by the end of the year. The Transportation Department plans to deploy new cameras at 50 locations per week for the next five weeks, with a goal of reaching 600 total intersections over the course of 10 months.
The expansion comes after pressure from former Mayor Eric Adams, who pushed for increased enforcement measures. State lawmakers responded by passing a law in 2024 allowing the cameras to be installed at 600 intersections. This is a significant increase from the original limit set in the 1990s and has remained unchanged since 2009.
According to Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn, the new program aims to reduce red light running, which poses a significant threat to public safety. The cameras have already proven effective, reducing incidents by as much as 73% in the intersections where they are installed. Flynn plans to pair this increased enforcement with ambitious street redesigns to create safer streets.
The locations of the new cameras will be kept secret for now, but officials say the program will target areas with high rates of crashes. Drivers caught running red lights can expect to receive a $50 ticket from the city.
Data suggests that the program has already shown promise, with intersections equipped with red light cameras witnessing a 65% reduction in T-bone crashes and a 49% decrease in rear-end collisions. The cameras are seen as an important tool in cracking down on reckless drivers and improving overall road safety.
the numbers r insane 73% reduction in red light running thats crazy!!! its not like we need an excuse 2 get more safe on our streets but im glad they're takin it serious & makin a change 
the fact that theyre also redesigning the streets 2 match up w/ the cameras is pure genius 
. Anyway, can't wait for the city to start giving out parking tickets from the sky 
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. And don't even get me started on the tickets - $50 just seems so... arbitrary.
. I mean, we've all been there, you get to the stop line, forget to look around... yeah, it's easy to get caught out. But 600 cameras? That's just a lot of eyes on the road 
. They say it'll reduce red light running by 73%, but what about the extra $50 fines for drivers? Not everyone's got that kind of scratch 
. Still, if it means safer streets, I'm all for it 
. We've gotta keep our roads safe for everyone, right? 
i mean i get it, safety first but come on, dont make me feel like im in a video game where every red light is a level 
. its good that theyre getting data but what about the ppl who genuinely forget? they'll just pay the fine and move on. we need to focus on actual solutions not just slapping more cameras on the city 
I'm not sure about all these new cameras popping up everywhere, you know? I mean, they're definitely aiming to reduce red light running, which is a major issue. But 600 intersections seems like a lot, feels like they're gonna be all over the place. Like, what's next, traffic lights on every corner? 
. I get where the city's coming from, though - they want safer streets and all that. But isn't it kinda invasive? Like, do we really need cameras everywhere? I mean, what about people who just forget to look both ways or something? Can't we have a more nuanced system that actually helps us learn from our mistakes instead of just fining people for being reckless?
they wanna double the amount already and it's kinda mind blown lol i get that public safety is important and all but 50 new cameras every week for 5 weeks? that sounds super annoying idk how ppl will deal with it but at the same time, if it does make streets safer then i'm all for it 
50 new ones a week for 5 weeks? that's like, insane! 
but hey, if it works, who cares right? 
drivers need to slow down already 
I'm not sure about this plan, though it's got some good intentions... Red light cameras can be super annoying for drivers who already feel like they're being watched all the time 
. But at the same time, I get why the city wants to make roads safer... 73% reduction in incidents is definitely something to build on! 
idea of making our streets safer! It's crazy to think that we need red light cameras to remind people to stop at the red light, but I guess it's better than some other measures 
. The fact that the cameras have already shown a 73% reduction in incidents is pretty impressive 
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anyway, i guess its good that they're tryin to make the streets safer... we've seen some crazy stuff on our roads lately. but $50 for a ticket? thats steep 
hopefully the cameras do help reduce those crashes tho 
. Plus, it can get super annoying when you're driving and suddenly find yourself being photographed 
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. It's great that they're planning to also redesign streets to make them safer, too 
? Wouldn't that be awesome?! 
I'm all for safer streets and fewer accidents! #SaferStreetsForAll. With the current rate of 50 new camera installations per week, it's gonna be crazy to see how many intersections get added in just a few months 
But seriously, it's about time we saw more action on road safety in NYC. The numbers are already looking promising with those 73% reductions in red light running incidents 
. Fingers crossed this program is a huge success and helps make our roads safer for everyone!