Los Angeles’ long-awaited speed-camera program launched Monday morning, with the first 20 enforcement cameras already detecting drivers traveling too fast. Two cameras on La Cienega Boulevard were visibly flashing as early commuters passed through the area.
The automated system is designed to identify speeding on major Los Angeles roads. Drivers committing the most serious violations could face fines of up to $500.
“Another light. When I pass here every day going to the gym, it’s flashing every few minutes,” Brian Meung, who lives near La Cienega Boulevard and Pickford Street, told Fox News.
The opening phase includes nearly 20 cameras across the city. Officials expect the network to expand to 125 enforcement locations by the end of 2026, covering speeding vehicles in all 15 Los Angeles City Council districts.
For the first 60 days, beginning Oct. 26, motorists caught speeding will receive warnings in the mail rather than fines. Financial penalties are scheduled to begin Dec. 26, once the grace period expires.
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The initial rollout covers four confirmed intersections: La Cienega Boulevard at Pico Boulevard; La Brea Avenue at 1st Street; Fairfax Avenue at Clinton Street; and Melrose Avenue at Hayworth Avenue.
Additional cameras are planned for sections of Sunset Boulevard, Olympic Boulevard, Venice Boulevard and Highland Avenue.
Lily Trujillo, founder of Street Racing Kills, said the technology could provide law enforcement with vital data about dangerous driving. Trujillo lost her 15-year-old daughter in a street-racing crash in 2013.
“I found out the hard way how many people race. How many people speed. I never thought about it before. I didn’t know how many people died every year in our streets… But you know what I did realize? That my daughter was no longer with me,” Trujillo told KTLA.
The Los Angeles City Council approved the five-year speed-camera program in March under California Assembly Bill 645. Under the plan, money collected from violations will be directed toward local projects aimed at making streets safer.
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