Department of Transportation proposes scrapping automated traffic cameras in DC

The Department of Transportation is seeking to eliminate the use of automated traffic enforcement cameras in Washington, D.C.

The proposal, which was sent to the White House Office of Management and Budget, would result in millions of dollars in lost revenue but would likely be celebrated by drivers frustrated by traffic tickets received because of the cameras, according to Politico.

The initiative seeks to outlaw speed, red light and stop sign cameras throughout the district as part of the upcoming surface transportation bill that Congress is wanting to pass this year, the outlet reported.

According to the proposal, the move would "prohibit the operation of automated traffic camera enforcement in the District of Columbia."

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DOT spokesperson Nate Sizemore said in a statement to Politico that the agency is "constantly examining a broad set of preliminary policy options on transportation matters. Many policy options are currently under internal review."

Since adopting red light cameras in 1999, the district has increased the use of red light and other cameras. There are now nearly 550 active enforcement cameras in Washington.

The Automated Safety Camera program enforces various traffic violations, which extends to unauthorized vehicles operating in bus lanes and truck-restricted routes.

Violators can face fines ranging from $100-$500, with larger fines for drivers passing a school bus with flashing lights or driving more than 25 mph over the speed limit.

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Previous efforts on Capitol Hill to cut the district's use of traffic cameras have not yet become law.

A House fiscal 2026 spending bill would have barred D.C. from using funds to effectuate automated traffic enforcement, but that legislation was never brought to the floor for a vote. Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., has also introduced a proposal to scrap the district's authority to use automated traffic enforcement systems.

"Automated traffic enforcement is being used to generate revenue, not enhance safety," Perry said in a statement to Politico. "Cities like Washington, D.C. that depend on automated traffic enforcement revenue to balance their budgets are proof that the policy isn’t about the safety of residents and visitors; it’s about fleecing people without representation or fair due process. It’s un-American and should be abolished."

The D.C. government argues that its program is "designed to create safer roadways for all road users in the District of Columbia," but the system also contributes significantly to the district's revenue, Politico reported.

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Washington generated $139.5 million from automated traffic enforcement cameras in fiscal year 2023, $213.3 million in fiscal 2024 and $267.3 million in fiscal 2025, Eric Balliet, a spokesperson for D.C.’s Office of the Chief Financial Officer, told the outlet.

More than a decade ago, Mayor Muriel Bowser launched Vision Zero, an initiative to drop roadway injuries and fatalities to zero, and adding traffic cameras has been part of that effort.

"District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser launched Vision Zero in 2014 to inspire and transform DC’s roadway safety efforts, and set our sights on a goal of zero fatalities or serious injuries on our streets. Since then, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) has shifted to designing streets that are safe for everyone, working closely with community members to identify problems and build solutions," the Vision Zero website reads.