City of Long Beach Activates Speed Safety System Expanded by New State Law

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PRESS RELEASE

Above from left: Mayor Rex Richardson unveils the City of Long Beach's newly activated Speed Safety System on Oct. 7, 2026; photo of one of the speed safety devices, which do not use continuous video or facial recognition and is not an Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) system, consistent with AB 645 privacy requirements.

Long Beach, CA - The City of Long Beach today activated its Speed Safety System, a new civilian-led traffic safety program using speed detection technology to address dangerous speeding at high-injury corridors. The City also welcomes the enactment of Senate Bill (SB) 1279, legislation authored by Sen. Lena Gonzalez that will allow the City to expand its Speed Safety System pilot program to include Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), one of Long Beach's most dangerous traffic corridors.

"Too many families in Long Beach have experienced the devastating consequences of traffic violence," said Mayor Rex Richardson. "The activation of our Speed Safety System and the signing of SB 1279 provides our city with important tools to address dangerous speeding in our city and advance our Safe Streets and Vision Zero goals. Every resident, student, worker and visitor deserves to travel safely, and this legislation will help us continue building a transportation system that prioritizes saving lives."

The Speed Safety System, administered by the Department of Public Works, is authorized under California Assembly Bill 645 (AB 645), a five-year statewide pilot the City advocated for. The Legislature passed AB 645 in 2023, authorizing the program in six cities: Long Beach, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose and Glendale.

The now-activated Speed Safety System issues citations only when a vehicle is detected traveling 11 miles per hour or more above the posted speed limit, capturing the vehicle's rear license plate. The system does not use continuous video or facial recognition and is not an Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) system. These safeguards are consistent with the privacy requirements established under AB 645. Citations are civil, not criminal, and carry no points on a driver's license and no impact on driving record.

The program includes a citywide 60-day warning period, running Oct. 7 through Dec. 7, 2026, before any fines are issued, and advance signage will alert drivers as they approach each device location. After the warning period ends, vehicles that travel over the speed limit 11 to 15 mph will receive a warning if one has not already been issued during the initial warning period, that will not result in a fine. A second offense and all offenses thereafter will result in a citation and a fine.

"This program was built with accountability at every step, with strict, legally mandated limits on how long data can be kept, who can see it, and how revenue can be used." said City Manager Tom Modica. "This was not designed to generate revenue for the City. Citation revenue is required by State law to first cover the cost of running the program. Any revenue remaining after is reinvested in neighborhood traffic-calming improvements, which is a huge priority for our residents and City Council."

Up to 18 devices are authorized under the pilot, identified using a combination of crash data, documented street-racing and takeover activity, and proximity to schools. State law requires that device locations reflect geographic and socioeconomic diversity across the city. The devices are operated under contract with Verra Mobility, which also holds speed safety system contracts with other cities participating in the statewide pilot.

The program fulfills a commitment the City made six years ago. Long Beach's 2020 Safe Streets Long Beach Action Plan, the City's Vision Zero roadmap, specifically called for policy reform to allow automated speed enforcement and set a goal of deploying the technology within six years.

"Every element of this system, from where the devices are located to how long we retain data, was designed with privacy and equity in mind." said Joshua Hickman, Director of the Department of Public Works. "This is not a surveillance program. It captures a single image of a license plate only when a vehicle is significantly exceeding the speed limit. We built this system to change driver behavior at our most dangerous locations, not to catch people."

Drivers who receive a citation have access to a full civil process, including an initial review, a formal administrative hearing and the right to appeal to Superior Court. Indigent drivers may qualify for fine reductions of 50 to 80 percent, payment plans capped at $25 per month, or a community service option in lieu of payment.

Senate Bill 1279
Separately, SB 1279, signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sept. 27, 2026, will authorize the City to deploy two additional devices along its stretch of PCH beginning Jan. 1, 2027. The devices will operate under the same privacy and civil-penalty framework as the rest of the program. Long Beach's segment of PCH spans approximately 8.5 miles and represents less than 1% of the City's arterial roadway network. Yet the corridor accounts for nearly 15% of traffic fatalities citywide. Since 2020, state highways within Long Beach, including PCH, have been the site of 48 of the city's 318 traffic-related deaths.

"Last year, Long Beach saw 53 fatal traffic collisions, the highest number in more than a decade," said Senator Lena Gonzalez. "As a city and a state, it is our responsibility to do everything in our power to ensure people feel safe walking their children to school, biking to work, and running a small business on a main street without worrying about a car crashing through the front door. I am grateful that Gov. Newsom has signed SB 1279 into law, giving Long Beach another opportunity to address the safety emergency on our streets."

"SB 1279 is about giving Long Beach another tool to make our streets safer and prevent traffic deaths, particularly along the Pacific Coast Highway where dangerous speeding has had devastating consequences," said Sixth District Councilmember Dr. Suely Saro. "As a Councilmember who represents a significant portion of the PCH corridor, I am proud to support a pilot program that can help change driver behavior and ultimately save lives while respecting the privacy of our community."

Other California cities piloting automated speed enforcement are already showing results. San Francisco, the first city to activate its program, has seen speeding drop by 80% in device locations. Similarly, in New York City, the number of violations per day at each device location has decreased by 94% since their activation.

The Speed Safety System Use Policy and Impact Report, which guided the program's design, were approved by the Long Beach City Council on Dec. 16, 2025, following a monthlong public comment period held from Oct. 7 to Nov. 7, 2025. The program is expected to run through its full five-year pilot period, ending before Jan. 1, 2032, per state law.

More information about the Speed Safety System, including device locations, the Use Policy and answers to frequently asked questions, is available at longbeach.gov/speedsafetysystem.

About the City of Long Beach
Long Beach is nestled along the Southern California coast and home to approximately 466,000 people. As an award-winning full-service charter city, Long Beach offers the amenities of a metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods, culture, and community. With a bustling downtown and over six miles of scenic beaches, Long Beach is a renowned tourist and business destination and home to the iconic Queen Mary, nationally recognized Aquarium of the Pacific and Long Beach Airport, the award-winning Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center and world-class Port of Long Beach.

For more information about the City of Long Beach, visit longbeach.gov/. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news: Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube. For more information about the Department of Public Works visit longbeach.gov/pw and follow @lbpublicworks on Facebook, X and Instagram.

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