- Just 10 cameras generated $65 million in city revenue.
- Removing cameras may cost the city $1 billion over time.
- New law allows DC to sue drivers with unpaid traffic tickets.
Earlier this month, it was revealed that the Department of Transportation wants to eliminate traffic enforcement cameras across Washington, D.C., including speed, red-light, and stop-sign cameras. Plenty of local drivers would likely welcome the change.
However, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser isn’t on board, and given how much revenue these cameras bring in, it’s easy to see why.
Read: DC Wants To Kill Traffic Cameras, And That’s A $267 Million Problem
Right now, the US capital has 547 automated traffic cameras installed throughout the city. In 2023 alone, those cameras pulled in a staggering $267.3 million in revenue. To put that into perspective, just 10 of those devices, or less than two percent of the total, accounted for roughly $65 million, or nearly 25 percent of the entire haul.
How Much Can One Camera Earn?
A closer look from Axios shows just how concentrated the earnings can be. One camera, mounted on the Potomac River Freeway in 2023, issued $9,179,249 in tickets in a single year. Another unit on eastbound DC295 SW brought in $8.5 million, while a camera on the 600 block of southbound Kenilworth Avenue NE wasn’t far behind, pulling $7.7 million.
It’s not as if these cameras are handing out fines for minor infractions, either. In D.C., automated tickets are triggered only when a driver exceeds the speed limit by at least 10 mph.
While collecting those fines hasn’t always been easy, a 2024 update from the attorney general made one thing clear: the city can now file civil suits against drivers who rack up significant unpaid tickets, regardless of where they live.
Safety Stats or Revenue Gaps?
While the effectiveness of automated traffic cameras in improving safety is often debated, Mayor Muriel Bowser notes that traffic fatalities in the city fell 52 percent last year. But their financial impact is just as critical. If D.C. were to ban the system outright, officials estimate it could blow a $1 billion hole in the city’s budget over the next four years.
On the other side of the debate is Rep. Scott Perry, who argues the cameras are less about safety and more about profit. In his view, they serve to “generate revenue, not enhance safety,” and are part of a system that “fleeces people without representation or fair due process.”