Pittsburgh this summer will roll out automated red light cameras in an effort to curb dangerous driving at intersections throughout the city.
City officials in 2024 approved legislation paving the way for such technology to be implemented. It’s part of a broader effort to reduce traffic fatalities and make Pittsburgh’s roads safer.
“In Pittsburgh, our roads need to be safer for everyone,” Mayor Corey O’Connor said in a statement. “Running red lights is serious and puts our residents at higher risk for accidents that could have been prevented.”
The automated system will capture incidents of people running red lights. A person will review each incident before sending out tickets. State law sets the fine at $100.
City Council last year approved a contract with Arizona-based Verra Mobility to install and operate a half dozen red light cameras throughout the city. The deal will cost about $14 million over five years, but the city can recoup costs with revenue generated from the tickets.
Additional revenue goes to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, which distributes the money to municipalities throughout the commonwealth to fund road safety projects.
Verra Mobility in a news release this week said the first set of cameras will be live this summer. The company did not provide more specific information. A 60-day warning period will give drivers time to learn about the program before citations are issued.
“Pittsburgh is showing true leadership by investing in proven safety technology that protects its residents today and builds a smarter, safer future for tomorrow,” said Melba Rivera-Irizarry, vice president of Verra Mobility.
The company cited a study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety that showed red light running dropped by 86% in Arlington, Va. when such technology was implemented.
New York City’s Department of Transportation said it recorded a 73% decline in average daily violations in the years after implementing its red light cameras.
In Pittsburgh, officials with the Department of Mobility and Infrastructure last year identified the following intersections as the first expected to be outfitted with the cameras:
- North Dallas and Penn avenues in Point Breeze
- General Robinson and Anderson streets in North Shore
- Negley and Fifth avenues at the border of Shadyside and Squirrel Hill
- Saw Mill Run Boulevard and Woodruff Street at the border of Mt. Washington and West End
- Browns Hill Road and Parkview Boulevard in Squirrel Hill South
Pittsburgh plans to add six intersections each year, up to 30 by the end of 2029.
