Automated safety enforcement is a nationally recognized tool to encourage red light compliance, lower speeds, and promote safety. In 2021, Arlington adopted the Vision Zero Action Plan that has identified automated safety enforcement as a tool that could improve safety on Arlington streets for drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists and people using other modes of transportation. This page provides information on Arlington’s two active automated safety enforcement programs: PhotoRED and PhotoSPEED.
Automated Safety Enforcement 2024/25 StoryMap
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Red-Light Safety Cameras (PhotoRED)
2024 PhotoRED Infosheet(PDF, 362KB)
2024 PhotoRED Infosheet en Espanol(PDF, 374KB)
Red-light safety cameras detect and record images of vehicles that run red-lights at intersections with traffic signals. The goal of PhotoRED is to improve safety at intersections.
PhotoRED uses photo enforcement to:
- improve driver compliance with traffic signals,
- monitor red-light violations,
- enhance crossing safety for people walking, biking or scooting,
- reduce the risks involved in the red-light violation enforcement of large intersections, and
- support the department's key initiative of transportation safety by using technology to reduce traffic-related collisions and injuries.
More information can be found on Arlington Police Department’s PhotoRED Website and in the Vision Zero Multimodal Engineering Safety Toolbox.
Red Light Camera Locations:
- Eastbound & Westbound Columbia Pike at S Glebe Road
- Northbound N Glebe Road and N Fairfax Drive
- Northbound N Glebe Road at Washington Blvd
- Northbound N Lynn Street and Eastbound Langston Blvd
- Southbound Fort Myer Drive and Westbound Langston Blvd
- Southbound & Northbound Richmond Highway at 23rd Street S
- Westbound Washington Blvd and Langston Blvd
- Eastbound and Westbound Columbia Pike at S Washington Blvd
- Westbound Langston Blvd at N Spout Run Pkwy and Southbound N Spout Run Pkwy at Langston Blvd
- Eastbound and Westbound 10th St N at N Barton St
- Westbound Langston Blvd at N Lynn St
- Westbound Wilson Blvd at N Lynn St and Northbound N Lynn St at Wilson Blvd
- Westbound Langston Blvd at Eastbound I-66 Exit 72 Offramp
Under current Virginia state law, jurisdictions are permitted to have one red-light safety camera per 10,000 residents. This means that Arlington could be permitted to operate red-light safety cameras at about 23 to 24 intersections in the County.
Red-Light Safety Camera Placement:
The Department of Environmental Services (DES) and the Arlington County Police Department collaborate on site selection and analysis. Arlington selects locations for red-light safety cameras based on the following factors:
- Crash rate; including vehicles, pedestrians, and/or bikes,
- Red-light violation rate,
- Pedestrian safety, and
- The difficulty in conducting enforcement at the location through traditional methods.
After data for each intersection is reviewed, the top potential locations are selected for the program contractor to conduct a multi-day, site-specific analysis of the location to confirm the need for a camera.
Graphic: Flow Chart of Red Light Selection & Review
Program Background:
In 2007, Virginia passed legislation allowing state and local law enforcement to use photo red-light cameras to enforce red-light violations. The County Board adopted the necessary changes to the County code and PhotoRED, Arlington’s red-light safety camera program, was implemented in 2010.
For more information, please visit ACPD’s PhotoRED website.
Speed Safety Cameras (PhotoSPEED)
PhotoSPEED 2025 Expansion InfoSheet(PDF, 3MB)
PhotoSPEED 2024 Expansion InfoSheet(PDF, 378KB)
PhotoSPEED Expansión del Programa en 2024(PDF, 365KB)
Speed safety cameras are a type of automated safety enforcement technology that detect and record images of vehicles traveling faster than the posted speed limit. The goals of speed safety cameras are to deter speeding, reduce the likelihood of severe crashes, and improve overall safety on roads.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that speed safety cameras can reduce crashes by up to 50%. Plus, studies in Montgomery County, Md., and Washington, D.C., found that the share of drivers speeding by 10 mph or more dropped 70% and 82%, respectively, 6 to 8 months after speed safety camera installation. In Rockville, Md., speed safety cameras reduced crashes by 35% and speeding by 50%.
More information on how speed safety cameras operate can be found on Arlington Police Department’s PhotoSPEED website and in the Vision Zero Multimodal Engineering Safety Toolbox.
Speed Safety Cameras Locations:
As of August 2025, Arlington County will have 28 speed safety cameras:
- NB 4700 block of Williamsburg Boulevard*
- NB 1300 block of S. George Mason Drive*
- SB 1000 block of N. George Mason Drive*
- NB 700 block of S. Carlin Springs Road*
- EB 4200 block of Lorcom Lane*
- EB 6000 block of Wilson Boulevard*
- SB 1400 block of N. Quincy Street*
- WB 1500 block of Wilson Boulevard*
- WB 5100 block of Williamsburg Boulevard*
- SB 2600 block of Military Road*
- SB 1600 block of N. Kirkwood Road**
- WB 5800 block of Wilson Boulevard
- SB 400 block of N. George Mason Drive
- SB 600 block of S. Carlin Springs Road
- SB Unit block of S. Carlin Springs Road
- SB 1900 block of S. George Mason Drive
- NB 1900 block of S George Mason Drive
- SB 1200 block of S. George Mason Drive
- EB 4500 block of Washington Boulevard
- WB 5100 block of Yorktown Boulevard**
- NB 700 block of N George Mason Dr
- NB 1100 block of Patrick Henry Dr
- SB 2500 block of S Arlington Ridge Rd
- EB 5800 block of Williamsburg Blvd
- SB 1000 block of N McKinley Rd
- EB 3500 block of 2nd St S
- NB 1600 block of N Veitch St
- WB 5800 block of Little Falls Rd
*Newly installed cameras
**Relocated Cameras: The speed safety cameras previously located on each EB 5200 block of Yorktown Boulevard and NB 1300 block of N. Kirkwood Road were relocated to the opposite sides of their respective school zones. The relocations will help to maximize the safety benefits of the cameras by reducing speeds near prominent school crossing locations.
Virginia law restricts speed safety cameras to school and work zones. Arlington's speed safety camera program focuses on school zones.
There are over 40 school zones in Arlington County. The school zones in Arlington are divided into two types of zones in the Arlington’s School Zone Guidelines(PDF, 749KB); dynamic zones and static zones:
- Dynamic School Zones are on arterial streets and are dynamic, beaconed school zones where a reduced speed limit is applicable during arrival and dismissal times. These arterial streets typically involve higher volumes, speeds, and activity. Speed safety cameras are an appropriate tool for arterial streets due to their higher volumes and speeds.
- Static School Zones are on neighborhood streets and are static, signed zones where a permanent 20MPH speed limit is applicable all day, every day, year-round. These neighborhood streets are typically characterized by lower traffic volumes and speeds. To help reduce speeding on neighborhood streets, the County is currently expanding the tactical speed hump pilot project.
Speed Safety Camera Placement:
The Department of Environmental Services (DES) and the Arlington County Police Department collaborate on site selection and analysis. We will be actively reviewing and assessing the school zones to determine the safety impacts of the cameras to guide the development and future of the PhotoSPEED program.
Arlington selects locations for speed safety cameras considering the following factors:
- Whether there is space to install a camera unit,
- Crash rate; including vehicles, pedestrians, and/or bikes,
- Vehicle speeds and volumes,
- Equity emphasis areas, and
- Number of school walk zones along the school zone roadway.
Graphic: Flow Chart of Speed Safety Camera Selection & Review
Program Background:
In 2020, Virginia passed legislation allowing state and local law enforcement to use speed safety cameras in school and work zones. Staff across County transportation, police, schools, and members of the Police Practices Work Group collaborated to develop a proposal to the County Board to adopt the language into the County Code, which was approved in 2022.
For additional information, visit ACPD’s PhotoSPEED website