Richmond City officials are pushing for the installation of photo speed monitoring devices at high-risk intersections, including the 607 blocks of South Beverly Street. This proposal, discussed during the Land Use, Housing, and Transportation Standing Committee meeting on April 22, 2025, aims to enhance public safety in areas identified as having a high incidence of traffic violations.

Major Armstead from the Richmond City Police Department highlighted the current limitations of the existing speed enforcement camera program, which operates only during school hours at 26 locations. He emphasized the need for a strategic approach to deploying additional cameras, suggesting that the city should prioritize locations based on traffic studies rather than simply expanding the program without data-driven insights.

The discussion revealed that the current speed camera program costs the city approximately $400,000 annually in officer salaries for monitoring and processing citations. While the school zone cameras reportedly generate more revenue than they cost, the proposed high-risk intersection cameras would not provide similar financial returns. Instead, any revenue generated would go directly to the state’s Commonwealth Transportation Board, complicating the financial sustainability of the program.

City officials are also considering the logistics of staffing for the proposed expansion. Major Armstead indicated that an additional four officers would be necessary to effectively monitor a new network of speed cameras, which could include up to 20 new devices.

The committee is expected to review a special fund budget proposal in May, which would allow the city to allocate funds generated from existing cameras towards operational costs and safety initiatives. However, the implementation of new high-risk intersection cameras will require upfront funding from the city, raising questions about budget priorities and resource allocation.

As Richmond navigates these discussions, the focus remains on balancing public safety with fiscal responsibility, ensuring that any expansion of the speed monitoring program is both effective and sustainable.