New Haven and Milford are the latest Connecticut municipalities to be approved for automated traffic enforcement cameras by the state.
The cities join six other municipalities approved so far: Greenwich, Marlborough, Middletown, Stratford, Wethersfield and the town of Washington.
Four other applications are pending review by the state Department of Transportation: Beacon Falls, Fairfield, Hamden and Stamford. Many other municipalities, including West Hartford, are in the process of completing their applications.
A roadway safety law passed by the legislature in its 2023 session allows for towns and cities to employ speed cameras and red-light cameras to enforce local traffic ordinances. A municipality looking to submit a plan to the DOT must first hold a public hearing, and the plan must show how the devices could help improve traffic safety.
New Haven’s plan, which was first submitted in December 2024 and has gone through several revisions since, includes both red light and speed cameras. The DOT approved 11 red light camera locations and four speed camera locations.
Red light cameras will be installed at MLK Jr. Boulevard at Church Street, College and George streets, Ella T. Grasso Boulevard at Derby Avenue, Quinnipiac Avenue at East Grand Avenue, Whalley Avenue at Ramsdell Street, Orange Street at Edwards, Ella T. Grasso Boulevard at Washington Avenue, Quinnipiac Avenue at Foxon Boulevard, Prospect Street at Highland, Main Street Annex at Woodward Avenue and South Frontage Road at Park Street.
The four approved speed camera locations are on Fountain Street, Sherman Parkway, Townsend Avenue and Foxon Boulevard. Foxon in particular has been known for drag racing, and there have been several fatal accidents along a busy stretch of roadway connecting New Haven to East Haven and North Haven near Interstate 91. Officials reported 500 crashes on Foxon in a two-year period, between 2020 and 2022, in its application to the state.
New Haven is the third largest city in Connecticut, with about 134,000 residents.
Milford’s plan for its city of about 50,000 residents also includes both red light and speed cameras with nine locations in total, many of which are in school zones.
Speed cameras will be installed at the following locations: Boston Post Road north of I-95 exit 39, The Academy school zone on Gulf Street, the Live Oaks school zone on Merwin Avenue, the West Shore Elementary school zone on Milford Road, the Platt Tech school zone on Orange Avenue and the 200 block of Woodruff Road.
Red light cameras are planned for three locations on the Boston Post Road: at Cedarhurst Lane, at High Street and at North Street.
Speed-camera devices will pick up a vehicle going 10 or more miles per hour over the posted speed limit. Red-light cameras will record a vehicle failing to stop at a red light.
The devices will take a picture of the offending vehicle’s license plate. This image will be reviewed by a law enforcement official. If applicable, a fine will be mailed to the vehicle’s registered owner, with a first offense costing $50 and subsequent offenses $75. Most municipalities will also charge a $15 administrative fee to process the fines.
As of September, fines from automated traffic devices had brought in more than $1 million for Middletown in just two months, $133,000 in Marlborough and more than $334,725 for Washington, which was the first municipality in the state to be approved for cameras.
Greenwich and Wethersfield had not yet activated their cameras or started collecting fines. By law, the money collected must be used for traffic safety and road improvements and cannot go into a town’s general fund.
The law provides 60 days for submitted plans to be reviewed by the DOT and then approved or rejected. If a plan is rejected, the DOT will provide specific justifications and guidelines on how to resubmit, a DOT spokesman said.
Once a plan is approved, it is good for three years. Municipalities can reapply once the three years are up, the DOT said.