NEW HAVEN, CT – This evening, the New Haven Board of Alders unanimously passed legislation (OR-2024-0014 and LM-2024-0334) approving the use of Automated Traffic Enforcement Safety Devices (ATESD) – commonly referred to as red light cameras and speed safety cameras – in the City of New Haven.
The legislation, which was proposed by Mayor Elicker earlier this year, outlines a framework for the use of these devices and identifies 19 specific locations at school zones and pedestrian safety zones, based on recent crash history and other criteria and guidelines. Eight speed safety camera sites are proposed near schools and 11 red light camera sites are proposed for intersections. (The full list of sites can be found here and a corresponding map can be found here.) The devices detect and collect evidence of these dangerous traffic violations by taking images that capture the license plate, date, time, and location of a vehicle that excessively speeds or runs a red light. A $50 fine is issued to the owner of the vehicle for the first offense and a $75 fine for each subsequent offense.
“In New Haven, we are committed to doing everything we can to ensure our streets are safe for all users – pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists. Red light cameras and speed safety cameras are a critical tool in helping to ensure that motorists are driving safely and responsibly near our schools and at busy intersections. When you drive recklessly, you put others and yourself at risk, and we’re committed to holding people accountable for their actions. Once these cameras are up, they will make our schools and streets safer and save lives,” stated Mayor Elicker upon passage of the legislation. “I want to thank the Board of Alders for their strong support of this proposal, City Transportation Director Sandeep Aysola and his team for their dedicated work in advancing this initiative, and the New Haven State Delegation and committed advocates who have been working towards this moment for so many years.”
With the Board of Alders’ passage of the legislation, next steps to full implementation include the City submitting its ATESD plan to the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CT DOT) for review and approval, and the City issuing a request for proposals (RFP) to identify the vendor(s) for camera procurement, installation, and operations.
The City of New Haven aims to be among the first municipalities in Connecticut to install these devices, pursuant to recently passed state legislation (Public Act 23-116) that authorized their use in June 2023 and subsequent state guidance issued by CT DOT in June 2024.
Traffic-related fatalities in New Haven have steadily decreased in recent years: 21 in 2020, 19 in 2021, 16 in 2022, and 11 in 2023. The legislation is the latest in the City’s ongoing efforts to improve roadway safety and reduce serious roadway injuries and deaths among all users through various engineering, enforcement, and educational initiatives, in accordance with in the City’s long-term Safe Routes for All plan and other measures.
PRESS CONTACT:
Lenny H. Speiller; (203) 725-4249; Lspeiller@newhavenct.gov
