Audio By Carbonatix

If you’re from Graniteville, New York, on Staten Island, chances are you’ve already paid a ticket to one of the state’s most lucrative speed cameras. Strategically located where a 50 mph highway dumps out into a 30 mph local zone, it raked in $315,200 across 6,304 tickets in the spring quarter, 2025.

Not everyone is against the camera at Goethals Road North and Jules Drive. Kurt Timmermann of Graniteville said, “That’s the moneymaker.” But he was quick to add, “It’s ridiculous, but to be honest with you it does work.” And by “work,” he means slow drivers down before the school zone for the Staten Island School of Civic Leadership. “It’s the best thing they ever did right here for the school.”

New York City has had speed cameras for years. By 2022, this specific camera was issuing 10% of the tickets on Staten Island. Yet in 2024, a 26-year-old rolled his sedan fatally in Graniteville. Residents called for speed bumps, rumble strips, and concrete barriers on Goethals road, assuming the camera wasn’t working to slow drivers down.

The future of speed cameras

The state of Virginia OKed speed cameras in 2020. But this year, state legislators are calling for tighter guidelines on municipalities introducing cameras to prevent a “policing for profit scheme.” Holly Seibold, who introduced the bill said, “We’re really trying to get the change in behavior, change in driving habits versus making any money off of these cameras.”

New York’s capital, Albany, implemented cameras in its school zones, and began mailing tickets in October 2024. It’s already issued over $3 million in tickets. But the city also revealed that 60% of any money collected goes right back to the private company that owns and operates the speed cameras. Only 40% could potentially find its way into the city budget and benefit taxpayers.

The New York State Assembly just voted to continue New York City’s speed camera program. These cameras sent out $22 million in fines in 2024, and $5.1 million in fines thus far in 2025.