Data released by the NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) Monday shows that Bruckner Boulevard and Tremont Avenue have seen the biggest impacts since speed camera hours expanded last summer.
The cameras, which can only be placed within a quarter-mile radius of a school, previously functioned from 6 a.m.-10 p.m., Monday through Friday. The cameras began operating 24/7 on Aug. 1, 2022 after a change in state law.
Along with speeding, DOT also saw injuries and traffic fatalities decline in areas with speed cameras during the first year of round-the-clock enforcement. There are more than 2,000 of these cameras across New York City.
During the expanded hours, traffic fatalities dropped by 25% on streets citywide, according to DOT.
“One year ago we launched 24/7 speed camera enforcement, and the results are in: the program has reduced speeding, decreased the number of injuries, and made our streets safer,” said DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “Speeding happens most often on nights and weekends, and expanded enforcement has been a highly effective tool to keep New Yorkers safe.”
Camera violations dropped an average of 30%, according to DOT, with the most drastic drop taking place on Houston Street in Manhattan’s East Village, at 96%.
The steepest drops otherwise took place on Cropsey Avenue in Brooklyn (-84%), North Conduit Boulevard in Brooklyn (-74%), Seagirt Boulevard in Queens (-79%) and Union Turnpike in Queens (-83%). Bruckner Boulevard was the only Bronx street to make the list of streets with the largest speeding decreases, with a 68% drop — ranking as the sixth-highest decrease throughout the city. The data is representative as of June 30 this year.
However, a Bronx street saw the greatest impact citywide when it comes to declines in traffic injuries during overnight and weekend hours.
Tremont Avenue saw a 45% reduction, while the steepest reductions at Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and Manhattan locations saw decreases between 18%-33%, as of July 31 this year.
Beyond Tremont Avenue and Bruckner Boulevard, it is unclear what the specific impact of 24/7 enforcement has been at other Bronx camera locations because DOT would not share data for its other locations in the borough when requested by the Bronx Times.
DOT spokesperson Vincent Barone said the agency does not share the locations of the cameras “so as to not jeopardize the effectiveness of the program,” even though each camera location is clearly labeled on city streets.
According to DOT, cities across the country saw particular increases in speeding overnight and on weekends after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. In New York City, fatalities from occupants of motor vehicles were higher than other travel modes, with speed cited as a major contributing factor in most crashes.
But in the first seven months of 2023, pedestrian fatalities in NYC are down 20%, according to DOT.
The transportation agency also declined to share how much money has come in from the tickets.
The city Comptroller’s office previously shared with the Bronx Times that about 15% of tickets were issued in the Bronx from the time 24/7 operations began through Dec. 20, 2022, which resulted in more than $21 million worth of charges across 435,645 violations.
Each ticket carries a fine of $50 and the cameras only flag vehicles traveling more than 10 mph over the speed limit.
More than 435K speed camera violations were issued in the Bronx after camera expansion last year
Reach Aliya Schneider at aschneider@schnepsmedia.com or (718) 260-4597. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
