Pilot program may help change the way folks drive
Cars speeding on our streets is a serious cause of injury and death to pedestrians and other auto riders. We’ve all been frustrated and appalled by drivers who have no care or responsibility when they speed down our local streets. Folks try to get write down license plate numbers and report them, cops try to catch them, but speeding persists. Now there’s a possibility that cameras on certain intersections of our city may help curb the speeding perpetrators.
On July 15 the City of Minneapolis announced five “traffic safety camera” locations. Deployment of the camera safety pilot program is a key part of the City’s Vision Zero plan to eliminate traffic deaths and severe injuries on Minneapolis streets. Mayor Jacob Frey signed a contract with NovoGlobal, a national traffic enforcement technology provider, after it was approved by the City Council to set up and operate the system. “Minneapolis is taking commonsense steps to protect lives on our streets,” said Frey. The intent of this program is to stop speeding and reckless driving on our streets especially near schools and areas with lots of foot traffic.
In 2017, the City adopted the Vision Zero resolution that commited to reaching zero traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2027. But the city has seen an increase in traffic deaths since 2020 with speeding as the leading cause. In Minneapolis, between 2022 and 2024, 43 people were killed in crashes involving speeding, 19 people were killed in crashes involving red-light running, and 17 people were killed in crashes that involved both speeding and red-light running.
The Vision Zero program includes plans and actions to focus on four systems: Safe Steets, using street design to improve traffic safety; Safe People, supporting and promoting safe human behavior; Safe Vehicles, regulating and maintaining safe vehicle fleets; and Safety Data, using a data-driven approach to guide Vision Zero programs.
The City engaged with the Minnesota Legislature to pass legislation that allows the Traffic Safety Camera Pilot program to help with Vision Zero. Under state law, cameras must be located within 2000 feet of schools, at locations with an identified traffic concern, and placed in geographically distinct areas in multiple communities with differing socioeconomic conditions.
The City conducted multiple rounds of community engagement over several years to develop the pilot program to determine camera locations in different neighborhoods. During engagement this spring, 1200 people shared feedback to inform the camera locations resulting in 83% approval of the program and 17% opposed. The data revealed over 2389 potential locations for cameras. Fifty-one eligible locations were chosen as potential locations and five were selected for the pilot program in 2025. Eleven high priority locations were selected for installation in 2026. Those additional cameras will be capable of recording speed and red-light violations. When the pilot program is completed and up and running, it will include at least two cameras in each of the City’s 13 Wards.
The five cameras included in the pilot program will be installed at the following locations in September: The first is at the intersection of 3rd street North near 1st Avenue North in Downtown. The second at Fremont Avenue North near West Broadway Avenue in the Near North area. The third is at 18th Avenue NE near Central Avenue in Northeast. The fourth at Chicago Avenue near Franklin Avenue E in Ventura Village, and the fifth at Nicollet Avenue near 46th West in King Field/Tangle town. All camera locations will have appropriate signage marking their location as required by state laws. Only streets under the City’s jurisdiction were considered under the pilot program. Hennepin County and Minnesota State roads may be considered in the future. The Minneapolis Public Works department is planning on adding more speed cameras in early 2026, expanding the program to add red light cameras later next year.
The City has identified an additional 11 locations as high priorities for future locations. The scale and timeline will depend on early results, capacity and community feedback. The data used for the locations will be based on the 2025 Minneapolis Traffic Safety Camera Pilot Location Impact Analysis Technical Report and be accessed on the City’s website.
A Minneapolis traffic control agent will verify all potential violations and issue a warning or citation in the following ways: A warning will be issued for a first offense. If a second violation is recorded a $40 fine will be issued if a vehicle goes 10 mph or more over the speed limit. The fine increases to $80 for speeds 20 mph or more over the limit. Drivers will be able to take a free traffic safety class instead of paying a fine for their first violation. Vehicle owners are not liable if their car was stolen or if they were not driving at the time of the violation. The driver will be required to submit a sworn statement if this occurs. Citations will not appear on driving records and cannot be used to revoke a license, arrest an individual, or tow a vehicle. The exception to this would be if the driver holds a Commercial Driver’s License which is required by federal regulations. The program will be independently evaluated to inform whether it continues after the pilot.