Title
Automated Red Light Camera Program
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FileID
File ID: 2026-01495
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Location
Location: Citywide
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Recommendation
Recommendation: Review and comment.
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Contact
Contact: Chris Dougherty, Funding and Asset Planning Manager, (916) 808-2669, cdougherty@cityofsacramento.org; Department of Public Works
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Presenter
Presenter: Chris Dougherty, Funding and Asset Planning Manager, (916) 808-2669, cdougherty@cityofsacramento.org; Department of Public Works
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Attachments
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Map of Recommended Intersections
3-Presentation
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Description/Analysis
IssueDetail
Issue Detail: The City seeks to implement an Automated Red Light Camera Enforcement Program to improve safety for people walking, bicycling, and driving through Senate Bill 720. Senate Bill 720 (SB 720), known as the Safer Streets Act, authorizes a new way local jurisdictions may implement automated traffic enforcement systems for red-light violations subject to a specific program, public noticing, privacy, equity, and reporting requirements. This program is a key component of the City’s Vision Zero Program that aims to eliminate transportation fatalities and serious injuries.
Staff is seeking community input on the staff recommended twenty intersections where crash data indicates patterns of red light running, that meet the City’s Vision Zero goals, and regulatory requirements SB 720. In August 2026, the engagement phase of this project will begin and is expected to run through the end of September.
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PolicyConsiderations
Policy Considerations:
Goal M-4. A safer transportation system.
M-4.1 Application of Safety. The City shall design, plan, and operate streets using complete streets principles to ensure the safety and mobility of all users.
M-4.2 Safer Driving Speeds. The City shall work to maximize the safety of the transportation network by designing streets for lower driving speeds and enforcing speed limits in an unbiased manner as well as promoting safer driving behavior.
M-4.3 Vision Zero. The City shall utilize a data driven, “vision zero” approach to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries by 2027, while increasing safety, health, and equitable mobility for all.
Additionally, this is in accordance with the following Council approved plans:
Vision Zero: This plan supports the City’s Vision Zero goals to utilize a data driven, “vision zero” approach to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries by 2027, while increasing safety, health, and equitable mobility for all. This corridor is part of the City’s Vision Zero High Injury Network.
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EconomicImpacts
Economic Impacts: Not applicable.
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EnvironmentalConsiderations
Environmental Considerations: This transportation planning study is exempt from the requirements of CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15262, Feasibility and Planning Studies. Section 15262 exempts projects involving only feasibility or planning studies for possible future actions, which have not been approved, adopted, or funded. Future projects identified in this plan may be subject to environmental evaluation under CEQA guidelines and possibly National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements.
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Sustainability
Sustainability: This report is consistent with the City of Sacramento Climate Action Plan Mobility Element by focusing on improving transportation infrastructure and encouraging walking and bicycling.
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Commission/CommitteeAction
Commission/Committee Action: None.
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RationaleforRecommendation
Rationale for Recommendation: The action requested is for the Commission to review and provide feedback on the proposed priority intersections.
FinancialConsiderations
Financial Considerations: Not applicable.
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LocalBusinessEnterprise
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): Not applicable.
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Background
Background: As authorized by the recently enacted Senate Bill 720 (SB 720), the City seeks to implement an Automated Red Light Camera Enforcement Program.
SB 720 allows jurisdictions to deploy automated red light enforcement devices to increase road safety. SB 720 creates a new optional program for jurisdictions to use red light cameras for transportation safety while balancing privacy concerns and impacts on disadvantaged communities. This program is a key component of the City’s Vision Zero Program that aims to eliminate transportation fatalities and serious injuries.
This new program limits the operation and enforcement of the automated red light camera program to only Public Works and Transportation departments instead of police departments. Additionally, it changes violations from a moving violation to civil penalties and places limits on fines. The program simplifies the process by focusing on owner liability and administrative appeals rather than court appearances.
SB 720 places a strong emphasis on privacy safeguards by limiting the information collected by the automated camera equipment to license plates, time and date, and a short video clip and strictly prohibits photographing the driver and the use of facial recognition for the program. All violations will be sent directly to the owner of the vehicle. The cameras are allowed only to capture the needed information for the violation and are prohibited from continuous recording. All data collected for the violations will be deleted upon the resolution of the violation.
This law provides an alternative to previously approved red light camera programs, allowing Public Works and Transportation Departments in California to enforce red light running while prioritizing privacy protections and ensuring any revenue generated are used strictly for street safety initiatives, with a goal of reducing accidents and increasing the City’s enforcement capability.
SB 720 specifically requires the locations of the automated red light cameras to be selected to address road safety through collision history or documented red light running and not revenue collection. The program requires any revenue generated from violations be strictly used for street safety initiatives, with a goal of reducing collisions.
To meet the requirements of SB 720, the City must adopt an Impact Report that describes the intersections chosen for the program and the process for how those intersections were selected, how the community was engaged about the program, assessments of the impact of the program on disadvantaged communities, civil liberties, and privacy, and the fiscal costs of the program including equipment costs and ongoing program costs.
City staff have started work on the required Impact Report by first identifying a set of recommended intersections. Leveraging the data-driven process used in the City’s Vision Zero Program staff identified and prioritized City intersections with a significant collision history indicative of red-light running that resulted in serious injury and fatal collisions. Staff have identified twenty recommended intersections that meet the City’s Vision Zero goals as well as the regulatory requirements SB720. The intersections are listed below and ranked in order of the highest number and most severe collisions. A map of the recommended intersections is included in Attachment 2.
Recommended Intersections
1. 5th Street & I Street
2. Truxel Road & Arena Boulevard
3. Del Paso Boulevard & Evergreen Street/Lampasas Avenue
4. 65th Street & Lemon Hill Avenue
5. Freeport Boulevard & Florin Road
6. Folsom Boulevard & Howe Avenue/Power Inn Road
7. Truxel Road & Gateway Park Boulevard
8. Stockton & Elder Creek Road/47th Avenue
9. Fruitridge Road & Power Inn Road
10. 65th Street & Fruitridge Road
11. Mack Road & Valley Hi Drive/La Mancha Way
12. El Camino Avenue & Northgate Boulevard
13. 16th Street & J Street
14. 12th Street & North 16th Street
15. 3rd Street & Capitol Mall
16. El Camino Avenue & Evergreen Street
17. Florin Road & Greenhaven Drive
18. Franklin Boulevard & Brookfield Drive
19. Cosumnes River Boulevard & Bruceville Road
20. Truxel & Del Paso Road/Natomas Boulevard
Inclusion of an intersection on this list does not guarantee the intersection will be included in the initial program. At this time, the City has not identified costs to implement the program. In addition to funding constraints and unknown system costs, each location will require additional review, including field verification, signal timing review, public noticing, community engagement, legal review, and completion of required SB 720 program documentation.
Engagement
Staff will conduct community engagement starting in August through September 2026. The City team will engage community-based organizations, advocacy groups, and neighborhood associations to maximize community input and help with public awareness and participation throughout the project. Additionally, a citywide survey will be distributed to capture community feedback and comments from members of the public who are not able to attend a meeting. Residents will be able to access the survey from handouts at community meetings, the City’s newsletters and social media platform, as well as from the project website.
Next Steps
The implementation of the Automated Red Light Camera Program is anticipated to launch in Spring of 2027. The procurement of the equipment vendor will be conducted in parallel with the engagement process. This procurement process will identify the type of system, costs of the equipment and program, and ensure that the program meets the legislative requirements and City goals for protection of privacy. This information will be included in the final Impact Report which is expected to be adopted by the City Council.
Staff is requesting the Commission’s input on the recommended intersections and to provide feedback on the overall Automated Red Light Camera Program.
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