Long Beach Speed Cameras Arrive in 2026: Locations & Fines

Speed cameras are officially coming to Long Beach in 2026, marking one of the most significant traffic enforcement changes the city has seen in decades. Approved under a statewide pilot program, the automated speed enforcement initiative aims to curb dangerous driving behaviors—especially excessive speeding and street racing—that have contributed to a surge in serious injuries and fatalities across the city.

City officials say the goal is not revenue generation, but saving lives. With traffic deaths now outpacing homicides in Long Beach, leaders argue the timing could not be more urgent.

This article breaks down where the speed cameras will be installed, how enforcement will work, how much tickets will cost, how data will be handled, and what comes next—including potential expansion to major corridors like Pacific Coast Highway.

Why Long Beach Is Installing Speed Cameras

Long Beach is joining a California speed camera pilot program approved in October 2023, which allows a limited number of cities to test automated speed enforcement. While seven cities were authorized to participate, San Francisco is currently the only one that has fully launched. Long Beach plans to follow in 2026.

The urgency stems from alarming safety data:

• Since the pilot law was signed, more than 3,200 crashes have occurred in Long Beach

• Over 20% of those crashes were caused by speeding, according to state collision data

• In 2024 alone, nearly 3,000 people were injured, with speed playing a role in one-quarter of all crashes

• From 2014 to 2024, Long Beach recorded over 400 fatalities and 40,000 injuries from traffic collisions, per a 2025 report by the Southern California Association of Governments

Most striking: 55 people have already been killed in traffic crashes this year, exceeding both last year’s total and the city’s homicide count.

Street safety advocates say this is the deadliest year since before the 1990s.

Where Speed Cameras Will Be Installed

While the city has not finalized every camera location, officials have confirmed several overlapping corridors where speeding, truck traffic, and street racing converge—especially along Long Beach Boulevard.

Long Beach Boulevard: Three Cameras, Three Problems

Long Beach Boulevard will receive three separate speed cameras, each targeting a different safety issue:

1. E. San Antonio Drive to 45th Street

   • Identified as part of the city’s High-Injury Network

   • Heavy truck traffic corridor

   • History of severe collisions involving speeding vehicles

2. Victoria Street to Market Street

   • Located in a school zone

   • Persistent illegal street racing despite reduced speed limits

   • High pedestrian risk

3. Artesia Boulevard to 70th Street

   • Highest rate of street racing incidents citywide

   • Frequently used by trucks and high-speed commuters

City officials say these corridors represent “repeat-offense zones” where traditional enforcement has failed to meaningfully reduce dangerous behavior.

How Speed Camera Enforcement Will Work

According to Public Works Director Josh Hickman, Long Beach’s speed camera program is designed with transparency and driver awareness in mind.

Clear Warning Signage

Drivers will not be surprised by enforcement. The city will install:

• “Photo Enforced” signs within 500 feet of each camera

• Additional signage posted further upstream to give drivers time to slow down

• Pole-mounted camera systems that are clearly visible

“This is about behavior change, not catching people off guard,” officials emphasized.

What the Cameras Will (and Won’t) Record

One of the most common concerns surrounding speed cameras is privacy. Long Beach officials have outlined strict limits on data collection:

• Cameras will only photograph the rear license plate

• No photos of drivers’ faces will be taken

• License plate data will not be shared with law enforcement

• Tickets are issued by Public Works staff, not police

• All data is deleted once the citation is resolved

Because tickets are mailed to the registered owner, the person cited may not have been the driver—similar to red-light camera enforcement.

Ticket Fines, Warnings, and Income-Based Reductions

Drivers will have time to adjust before enforcement becomes punitive.

First 60 Days: Warnings Only

For the first two months after launch, all violations will result in warnings, not fines.

After the Grace Period

Once enforcement begins:

• Speeding 11+ mph over the limit triggers a $50 base fine

• Severe speeding escalates quickly

• Driving 100 mph or more can result in fines up to $500

Ability to Reduce or Avoid Fines

The program includes several equity-focused options:

• Fines can be reduced by up to 80% based on income

• Tickets may be negotiated down

• Drivers can substitute community service for payment

Officials say these measures are intended to avoid disproportionately impacting low-income residents.

Cost of the Program—and Where the Money Goes

The speed camera program is fully funded by citations, not taxpayer dollars.

Program Costs

• $835,000 in the first year

• $1.6 million annually for operations

• $8.9 million total over the five-year pilot period

Use of Revenue

Any revenue beyond operating costs must be reinvested in traffic safety improvements, including:

• Speed humps and raised crosswalks

• Flashing pedestrian beacons

• Lane narrowing and road diets

• Other traffic-calming infrastructure

City leaders stress that profits cannot be diverted to the general fund.

How Success Will Be Measured

The pilot will be considered successful if it achieves:

• A 20% reduction in excessive speeding, or

• A 20% reduction in repeat offenses at camera locations

If those benchmarks are met, Long Beach plans to advocate for expanded authority from the state.

What Comes Next: PCH and State Roads

Mayor Rex Richardson says momentum is building to extend speed enforcement beyond city streets.

“I know there’s a lot of enthusiasm here—from the public side and the City Council side,” Richardson said. “Traffic fatalities have increased post-pandemic and fluctuate wildly.”

Pacific Coast Highway Expansion

Depending on the pilot’s results, city officials want to push legislators to allow cameras on state-controlled roadways, including Pacific Coast Highway.

Separately, recent legislation allows Caltrans to install 35 speed cameras in construction and maintenance zones statewide, including segments of PCH. That program runs through 2032.

Public Opinion: A Divided Response

Despite rising fatalities, public sentiment around speed cameras remains mixed.

A city survey conducted between October and November found:

• 48% opposed the cameras

• 41% supported them

• The remaining respondents were undecided

Of the 98 responses received, 95 focused on the city’s impact report. Officials have not released detailed breakdowns of the feedback, and no changes were made as a result of public engagement.

Supporters argue the data speaks for itself. Critics worry about fairness, surveillance, and government overreach.

Why Long Beach’s Decision Matters

Long Beach’s speed camera rollout will be closely watched across California. If successful, it could accelerate adoption in other cities grappling with street racing, reckless speeding, and post-pandemic driving behavior.

For drivers, the message is clear: slow down, especially on high-risk corridors. For the city, the gamble is whether automated enforcement can succeed where traditional policing has fallen short.

With hundreds of lives lost and thousands injured over the past decade, Long Beach is betting that visible cameras, clear warnings, and predictable enforcement can finally bend the curve on traffic violence.

As 2026 approaches, one thing is certain—how fast you drive in Long Beach is about to matter more than ever.

Six California Cities Add Speed Cameras After SF Pilot

California is on the brink of a major shift in traffic enforcement. After decades of relying almost exclusively on patrol officers for speeding violations, cities are embracing automated speed cameras as a modern solution to reduce dangerous driving. The change is being fueled by San Francisco’s pilot program, which in just six months recorded over 400,000 violations.

Now, six more cities—Los Angeles, Oakland, San Jose, Long Beach, Glendale, and Malibu—have authorized their own speed camera networks, joining San Francisco in what could soon become one of the largest state-level deployments of automated traffic enforcement in the United States.

San Francisco’s Pilot Program: A Case Study in Enforcement

When San Francisco installed 33 speed cameras in March, officials were cautiously optimistic. The city had long struggled with speeding on its high-injury corridors, where a small percentage of streets accounted for a majority of pedestrian deaths and serious crashes.

The early data was staggering:

• Over 1,000 violations recorded daily within the first month.

• More than 400,000 total warnings issued between March and August.

• Transition to citations on August 5, signaling the start of monetary fines.

This approach mirrored other cities worldwide—such as London, New York, and Sydney—that have found speed cameras to be an effective deterrent. The results demonstrated that automated enforcement could quickly detect widespread noncompliance, something police patrols alone could never manage at scale.

The Six New Cities Joining the Program

Building on San Francisco’s success, six major California cities have announced plans to adopt speed cameras:

City	Estimated Rollout	Focus Areas	Notes
Los Angeles	Late 2025	School zones, freeways, Vision Zero corridors	LA has the highest traffic fatality rate in California.
Oakland	Early 2026	Residential areas, major arterials	Oakland plans equity-based fine adjustments.
San Jose	Late 2025	Downtown, expressways, high-crash intersections	Silicon Valley’s largest city to embrace automation.
Long Beach	Mid 2026	Beachfront boulevards, residential districts	City known for dense pedestrian and cyclist traffic.
Glendale	Late 2025	High-volume arterials near freeways	Glendale has one of the highest pedestrian crash rates in LA County.
Malibu	Early 2026	Pacific Coast Highway	PCH is notorious for high-speed crashes and fatalities.

Each city has tailored its rollout to local needs. For example, Malibu’s adoption is heavily centered on Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), a roadway infamous for speeding, crashes, and roadside memorials. Los Angeles, meanwhile, is focusing on Vision Zero corridors, aligning with its goal to eliminate traffic deaths by 2035.

Why Speed Cameras Are Spreading

The rapid adoption of speed cameras across California reflects both public safety concerns and policy momentum.

1. Proven Safety Benefits

Studies in New York City, Washington D.C., and London show that speed cameras reduce speeding violations by 30–70% within the first year. The presence of cameras encourages drivers to self-regulate, even after initial fines.

2. Freeing Up Police Resources

Automated enforcement doesn’t replace officers but allows them to focus on higher-priority issues like impaired or reckless driving. This efficiency argument has helped overcome resistance from police unions in some cities.

3. Equity and Fairness Debates

Historically, traffic stops have raised concerns about bias and unequal treatment. Speed cameras offer an impartial method of enforcement: every driver exceeding the limit is treated the same. However, cities are also exploring income-based fine adjustments to avoid disproportionately punishing low-income drivers.

How Enforcement Works

For drivers unfamiliar with the system, speed camera programs generally follow this process:

1. Warning Period – For the first few months, violators receive mailed warnings instead of fines.

2. Citation Activation – Once warnings end, citations with monetary fines are issued.

3. Mail Delivery – Violations are mailed to the registered vehicle owner.

4. Location Disclosure – Cities often publish camera locations to maximize deterrence.

5. Evidence Review – Citations include photographic or video evidence.

San Francisco’s August 5 transition from warnings to fines marked a new phase, and other cities are expected to follow the same model.

Concerns and Criticism

Despite their benefits, speed cameras remain controversial. Critics argue that:

• Revenue Generation vs. Safety: Some see them as a cash grab for cities.

• Driver Privacy: Automated enforcement raises surveillance concerns.

• Overticketing: High-volume citations may overwhelm courts or drivers.

However, supporters counter that cameras only penalize drivers who break the law and that safer streets justify the trade-offs.

California in a National Context

California’s expansion comes as more U.S. states explore automated enforcement. While New York City has operated over 2,000 cameras, and Washington D.C. has used them for two decades, California historically lagged behind due to state legal restrictions.

A new state law passed in 2023 authorized cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Oakland to pilot automated speed enforcement. With the recent expansion, California is positioning itself as a leader in Vision Zero initiatives nationwide.

The Revenue Factor

While safety is the primary driver, there’s no denying that fines generate significant revenue. If San Francisco’s program were to issue citations at the same rate as its warnings, the city could collect tens of millions of dollars annually. For larger cities like Los Angeles, that figure could climb even higher.

Most cities plan to reinvest the revenue into traffic safety improvements, such as upgraded crosswalks, protected bike lanes, and pedestrian signals. This creates a self-funding safety loop: violators pay fines, which finance infrastructure that makes roads safer.

What Drivers Should Expect

California drivers can anticipate a gradual but firm shift in enforcement:

• Short-Term: Expect warning periods in new cities.

• Medium-Term: Widespread issuance of citations, particularly on high-injury streets.

• Long-Term: Expanded networks as more cities adopt cameras statewide.

For those who frequently drive through Los Angeles, Oakland, or along Malibu’s PCH, the message is clear: slow down now, or pay later.

Looking Ahead: Will More Cities Follow?

The success of these programs will likely determine whether other California cities—such as Sacramento, Fresno, or San Diego—adopt speed cameras. If early data shows reduced fatalities and serious injuries, the technology may spread across the state.

This could transform California’s approach to traffic safety, shifting from traditional enforcement to a data-driven, automated model.

Conclusion: A Safer but Stricter Road Ahead

What began as a 33-camera experiment in San Francisco has now triggered a wave of adoption across six major cities. With over 400,000 violations already recorded in one city alone, California is betting big on technology to change driver behavior.

Supporters say it’s about saving lives. Critics warn of government overreach and revenue dependency. Either way, the cameras are coming, and California drivers will need to adjust to a new era of accountability on the road.

Will Gavin Newsom Approve Speed Cameras In California?

Speed cameras in California as part of a pilot program

cleared a major hurdle this week. Assemblymember Marc Berman, who co-authored AB 645, said the legislation would help reduce the number of deadly pedestrian accidents.