Speeders in Phoenix are about to lose some cover. The city is switching its photo safety cameras back on February 23, starting with a 30-day warning period before actual citations kick in on March 25. The first batch includes 17 speed-monitoring devices split between rotating corridor locations and school-zone towers.
City officials say the revived Photo Safety Program is designed to change driver behavior, back up Phoenix Police enforcement, and bolster the city's Vision Zero Road Safety Action Plan. “Photo safety cameras return to Phoenix!” Street Transportation Director Briiana Velez said, according to the city's post on X.
Photo safety cameras return to Phoenix!🚦 30-day warning starts Feb 23, enforcement begins Mar 25. https://t.co/dJNfj6930T
— City of Phoenix, AZ (@CityofPhoenixAZ) January 28, 2026
Where the cameras will go
The first round of corridor cameras will sit mid-block on several fast-moving stretches across the Valley. Drivers will see them on Thunderbird Road (35th Avenue to I-17 and I-17 to 19th Avenue), 32nd Street (Greenway Parkway to Bell Road), 7th Street (Thomas to Indian School), Indian School Road (83rd to 75th), Camelback Road (24th to 32nd), 51st Avenue (Van Buren to I-10), Baseline Road (16th to 24th) and Bell Road (I-17 to 19th Avenue). Eight additional camera units will rotate through 15-mile-per-hour school zones during the school year, according to ABC15's reporting.
How the rollout will work
Nine corridor devices will rotate every six months while the eight school-zone cameras move weekly, a setup meant to keep drivers guessing a bit. During the 30-day grace period that starts February 23, the city says drivers will receive mailed warnings, not fines. Beginning March 25, anyone caught over the posted speed limit will receive civil citations, and any remaining funds will be reinvested into Phoenix's Vision Zero work, according to the Photo Safety page from the City of Phoenix.
Who is running it and why
Phoenix tapped Verra Mobility to operate the automated enforcement program under a contract approved last year. City officials say the technology helps cover a shortage of traffic officers and lets them focus on corridors with the worst crash histories, as Arizona's Family reported. Local reporting and city materials highlight studies that show drops in injury crashes where cameras are in use, a data point Phoenix leaders leaned on in moving the program ahead.
State politics and legal risks
The timing is touchy. At the state Capitol, lawmakers are once again pushing a ballot referral that would ban photo radar across Arizona, a move that could wipe out local programs if voters approve it. The latest effort cleared a committee earlier this month, Axios Phoenix reported. That uncertainty has fueled public debate and is a big reason Phoenix is stressing that the Photo Safety Program is meant for safety, not as a cash grab.
Drivers can expect posted signs at camera locations and mailed warning notices during the 30-day window. After March 25, enforcement will be civil and handled through the usual municipal processes. Residents can consult the city's interactive map and FAQ for detailed camera locations and rotation schedules before their mailbox starts getting more interesting.
