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Q&A

Lee on red light camera revenue projections for expanded program

New York City Council · May 29, 2026 · starts 0:31:46 · 1 min 42 sec

Lee calculates potential $199.7M in additional annual revenue if cameras expanded to 1,325 intersections. Beaton clarifies the state authorization only permits 600 intersections.

Linda Lee

In the council's budget response, we noted that there were 211 red light cameras mounted around the city, which accounted for $31.8 million in revenue, or approximately $150,710 per camera.

Linda Lee

If the red light cameras program were to be expanded to 1,325 intersections as contained in the state authorizing bill, additional $199.7 million could be generated annually based on the fiscal 2025 revenue numbers.

Linda Lee

Does DOT and the administration support expanding the red light camera program to the scale prescribed in the state authorizing legislation?

Eric Beaton

Can you just say the front part one more time?

Eric Beaton

I just want to make sure I have the details crisply.

Linda Lee

Yeah, so it's 211 red light cameras mounted currently with roughly 31.8 million in revenue.

Linda Lee

So if you take that same sort of breakdown,

Linda Lee

If the program were to expand to 1,325 intersections, as was in the state authorizing bill?

Eric Beaton

The state authorizing bill is only for 600 intersections.

Eric Beaton

The 1,350 was the original negotiation point.

Eric Beaton

The 2025 negotiations for the reauthorization that reflected, I think, 10% of all intersections, which is where that number came from.

Eric Beaton

But we're only authorized up to 600 intersections.

Linda Lee

Okay, so given that it's 600.

Linda Lee

Would that concurrently, in terms of the ratio of the amount of revenue generated, do you foresee that being the same sort of ratio of the revenue that's being generated in proportion?