Pittsburgh’s red-light cameras are warning drivers before $100 citations begin

Pittsburgh’s automated red-light enforcement program is active at two intersections, but drivers are still in a warning period. The city says $100 civil citations will begin October 11, 2026, for covered violations at those locations.

The cameras launched August 12 at North Dallas Avenue and Penn Avenue in Point Breeze and at Saw Mill Run Boulevard and Woodruff Street in Beechview. The initial warning period lasts 60 days, so motorists photographed during that period receive warnings rather than $100 citations.

When citations begin

Starting October 11, a covered violation at either active intersection can result in a $100 citation mailed to the vehicle’s registered owner. The citation is civil rather than a criminal charge.

The program covers a vehicle entering the intersection and continuing through a red light. A right turn on red is also covered when the driver fails to make a complete stop before turning.

The city says the citation will not add points to the driver’s license or affect insurance rates. Motorists can appeal through the process described in Pittsburgh’s Automated Red Light Enforcement guidance.

Four more intersections planned

Pittsburgh plans to activate four additional camera locations during 2026. The city’s launch announcement did not establish activation dates for those sites.

Anderson Street and East General Robinson Street
South Negley Avenue and Fifth Avenue
Chateau Street and West End Bridge
Browns Hill Road and Parkview Boulevard

Each additional location will have its own 30-day warning period before citations begin. The four planned sites should not be treated as fully operational enforcement locations until the city announces their activation and warning schedule.

Police review is required

The cameras capture vehicle images and license plates, but a suspected violation is not automatically converted into a citation. Trained Pittsburgh Bureau of Police personnel must review the alleged infraction before the city mails a citation.

The system is designed for red-light enforcement. It is not a general speeding-camera program, and the city says it does not use facial recognition.

What happens to the images

The city says data from the program belongs to Pittsburgh and that recorded images are permanently destroyed after 30 days. The city’s resident guidance also explains payment, appeal, privacy and related procedures.

Pittsburgh officials have tied the program to the city’s Vision Zero traffic-safety effort. The city reported 759 red-light-running crashes and seven deaths from 2019 through 2023, figures officials cited as part of the safety rationale for installing cameras at high-risk intersections. The program is newly launched, so no local crash-reduction results are available yet.

For drivers, the immediate takeaway is straightforward: warnings are being issued at the two active intersections during the initial 60-day period. Beginning October 11, 2026, failing to stop before proceeding through a red light—including making a right turn without a complete stop—can lead to a $100 civil citation.

Sources

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