The new Greenwich commute: man vs. machine

According to First Selectman Fred Camillo, some residents aren't happy about being ticketed by the town's new traffic cameras for exceeding the speed limit in Greenwich school zones. As of January 8, 2026, the trial period ended, meaning the entire town-wide system—spanning eight school zones and ten cameras—is now fully live. Real tickets are being issued at $50 for the first offense and $75 thereafter. Typically, a citation is triggered if you exceed the limit by 10 mph or more.

School Safety vs Speed Trap? Residents are increasingly frustrated by the "always-on" nature of the system. Many assumed that "no flashing lights = no camera," but that isn't the case. While the cameras enforce the lower 20 mph speed limit when beacons are flashing, they remain active from 7am to 4pm to enforce the "normal" speed limit (typically 30-35 mph) while school is in session. While the town justifies this as a protective measure for students on campus all day, critics argue that all-day operations feel more like revenue-generating surveillance than a targeted safety initiative.

The Hot Spots. Primary locations for ticketing are North Street and Greenwich High School (especially East Putnam Avenue and Hillside Road) where commuter traffic is heavy. Beyond the fines, critics have raised concerns about the revenue and information sharing arrangement with third party vendor Blue Line Solutions.

Man vs machine. To reduce errors, the town utilizes a three-step review process: starting with the contractor Blue Line Solutions, followed by a manual check by the Greenwich Police, and finally, an appeal to a review board appointed by the Board of Selectman—Citizen's Police Advisory Committee. Tip: If you are ticketed on a weekend, holiday or confirmed school closure day (like a snow day), the ticket should be revoked upon appeal, as the ordinance only permits enforcement on days when school is in session.

Connecticut's new landscape. Connecticut became a "speed camera state" last year, and Greenwich has moved faster than almost any other town in activating its fleet. While larger programs have been approved for New Haven, Stamford and West Hartford, many are still in the installation phase. While Greenwich has focused on cameras in school zones, Stamford is targeting high injury networks and walkability, West Hartford has prioritized red-light cameras at over 15 intersections, Washington, CT (first to go live) focuses on rural thoroughfares and Middletown targets urban safety on high volume routes like Route 66.

Between the Lines: The goal is to change driver behavior, and early data suggests it is working—some zones have seen nearly a 90% reduction in speeders since the cameras were installed The days of "driving under the radar" in Greenwich are officially over.

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