SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – In Thursday’s Common Council meeting, the city of Syracuse revealed it has collected $3.8 million from tickets issued to drivers for speeding or running red lights in school zones.
The revenue can be credited to the next phase of Syracuse’s School Zone Traffic Enforcement Program, which introduced automated red light and speed cameras in school zones around the city prior to the start of the school year. It’s an effort to curb excessive speeding in school zones – something people who live in these areas say is long overdue.
“People go too fast,” said Syracuse resident Lona Mathes, who’s lived in the city for over 60 years. “They go through red lights, and there are children out and people on bicycles.”
The discussion from Thursday’s meeting supports what Mathes said.
Craig Witmer, leader of the Innovation Project in Syracuse, said that the automated cameras captured over 60,000 drivers speeding in school zones in September – the first month of the program.
Deputy Mayor Corey Driscoll Dunham, who addressed the media after the meeting speaking on behalf of the mayor’s office, said it was alarming to see just how fast people were driving.
© 2026 Eddie McCarthy
“We saw one that was going 76 mph on James Street in the middle of the day in a school zone,” Dunham said.
The city had a warning period in effect until Nov. 2, so no one was ticketed during the first two months of the program. Dunham said the rationale behind the warning period was to give drivers a chance to adjust, and she said the method worked.
“Since November, we’ve seen a 55 percent decrease in violations per school day and a 46 percent decline in excessive speeding,” Dunham said.
However, Nottingham resident Jennifer Killoran is skeptical about the program’s efficacy, because the automated cameras only operate between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m.
“They’re going pretty much the speed limit during the day, but at night is a different story,” Killoran said. “You find people going probably upwards of 50 mph at night.”
Only roughly one-third of ticketed drivers actually pay their fines. Witmer’s presentation to the Common Council showed the automated cameras have issued $10.86 million in tickets, yet the city has only collected $3.8 million.
When asked about the collection challenges, Dunham was adamant the program’s goal is not to raise money for the city.
“This is not intended to be a revenue generation tool,” Dunham said. “It’s meant to change driver behavior.”
And the deputy mayor insists driver behavior is changing, even if people in the city don’t realize it.
“I know anecdotally for myself, and I do hear from other folks that when drivers are entering these school zones and they see the signage, folks are slowing down,” Dunham said.
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: Syracuse mayor’s office says school zone cameras are changing driver behavior
Eddie McCarthy: Back at the beginning of the school year, Syracuse launched the next phase of its School Zone Traffic Enforcement Program, introducing automated red light and speed cameras in school zones around the city. And with the school year ending in less than a month as of today, the Common Council met this morning to discuss the results of this new initiative.
McCarthy: People living in Syracuse say speeding has become a big problem, especially in school zones.
Lona Mathes: People go too fast. They go through red lights and and there’s children out. There’s people on bicycles. And those weird little things that they drive.
Jennifer Killoran: Unfortunately, some people just don’t aren’t paying attention or heeding to uh traffic laws when people are crossing the streets.
McCarthy: To combat this, Syracuse launched the next phase of its School Zone Traffic Enforcement program at the beginning of the school year, introducing red light and speed cameras in and around schools across the city. This morning, the Common Council held a meeting to discuss the new program. Thus far, the data shows it’s been effective.
Corey Driscoll Dunham: We’ve seen a 55 percent decrease, you know, fewer violations per school day from the time that the program was launched until now, which means that people are slowing down. McCarthy: According to Jennifer Killoran, the deputy mayor is half right.
Killoran: They’re going pretty much the speed limit during the day. At night is a different story. You find people going probably upwards of 50 miles an hour at night.
McCarthy: But the mayor’s office insisted that, overall, the program has made a significant dent in excessive speeding.
Dunham: I know anecdotally for myself, and I do hear from other folks that when drivers are entering these school zones and they see the signage, folks are slowing down.
McCarthy: As of today, the program has generated over $3 million in citations. The mayor’s office said the more complete full data set will be available in July. Outside City Hall, Eddie McCarthy, NCC News.