Lower Merion, Pennsylvania's first automated red-light enforcement site generated hundreds of citations in a short period of time.
At the intersection of Lancaster Avenue and Remington Road, the system resulted in 663 citations.
Here's what to know
According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, the cameras were activated May 13, and after 60 days of warnings, $100 tickets started going out.
Before a citation is mailed, the system records photo and video of vehicles suspected of entering the intersection after the signal turns red, and the Lower Merion Police Department reviews each case.
That review must happen before a ticket goes out. Anyone who receives a citation can contest it at an in-person municipal hearing.
Township officials selected Lancaster Avenue and Remington Road for the first installation, and they are weighing additional busy intersections as possible future sites.
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There were nearly 3,800 crashes in Lower Merion from 2019 to 2023, according to the Inquirer.
More background
The Inquirer reported that Lower Merion wants to add cameras at more locations. If three intersections have cameras, township projections show the program could generate $24 million annually before driver behavior changes drop that figure to $8 million.
Lower Merion does not retain the money from the tickets. Revenue first pays administrative expenses, with the remaining funds directed to a state account for transportation enhancement projects.
Towns enrolled in the automated enforcement program get priority when they seek state transportation grants, however.
What's being done?
Township leaders have described the cameras as a safety measure. Officials say residents have voiced concerns for years about hazardous conditions on local roads.
Per the ordinance, the cameras may be used only to enforce red-light violations.
Footage gets wiped 30 days after a case is settled, and that material cannot be released through Right to Know requests.
Superintendent of Police Andy Block told the Inquirer that traffic enforcement is a departmental priority and that the cameras "provide additional safety for our motorists traveling in the township."
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