NYC to Expand Red-Light Camera Program, Target 'Ghost Cars'

The city plans to add 450 new cameras to catch red light violations.

1 minute read

October 31, 2025, 5:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


White traffic camera mounted on a pole.

Karolis Kavolelis / Shutterstock

New York City will add 450 new traffic enforcement cameras to city intersections, bringing the total up to 600.

The move comes after the state authorized city officials to expand the program from 150 to 600 intersections, explains Dan Zukowski in Smart Cities Dive. “The DOT will purchase the cameras and other equipment from Verra Mobility, adding some $20 million to $30 million in revenue for the company in 2026 and 2027.”

According to NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez, “Automated enforcement cameras have proven highly effective at changing driving behavior to reduce speeding, red-light running, blocking bus-stops, and driving overweight vehicles on the [Brooklyn-Queens Expressway].”

In its request for proposals, the city specifically asked vendors to address the issue of ‘ghost cars’ — vehicles with obscured or missing license plates that can be untraceable.

Thursday, October 30, 2025 in Smart Cities Dive

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