The City Commission voted 7-0 to list 27 camera approaches at 16 Lakeland intersections. The cameras issued 27,609 notices last year and collected $3.39 million.
Lakeland’s city code now names 16 intersections where red light cameras may operate. The City Commission adopted the ordinance 7-0 on Monday, and it took effect on passage.
The ordinance lists 27 camera approaches, each pointing one way into an intersection. The commission found that each location is a “heightened safety risk that warrants additional enforcement measures.” That finding is what state law now requires before a city can put a camera somewhere new.
The vote is recorded in the Oct. 5 City Commission agenda with actions taken. The text is in Ordinance 6162, proposed as 26-032.
The 16 intersections
| Intersection | Camera direction |
|---|---|
| Bartow Road (U.S. 98) at North Crystal Lake Drive | Northbound and southbound |
| Cleveland Heights Boulevard at East Edgewood Drive | Northbound and southbound |
| Daughtery Road / Walt Loop Road at Socrum Loop Road | Westbound on Daughtery, northbound and southbound on Socrum Loop |
| Florida Avenue at George Jenkins Boulevard | Northbound and southbound |
| Florida Avenue at Memorial Boulevard | Northbound on Florida, westbound on Memorial |
| George Jenkins Boulevard at Kathleen Road | Westbound |
| Harden Boulevard at West Beacon Road | Northbound |
| Harden Boulevard at North Parkway Frontage Road | Southbound |
| Kathleen Road at 14th Street | Northbound and southbound |
| Massachusetts Avenue at East Parker Street | Northbound and southbound |
| Memorial Boulevard at Brunnell Parkway | Westbound |
| Memorial Boulevard at Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue / North Dakota Avenue | Westbound |
| Memorial Boulevard at North Massachusetts Avenue | Eastbound and westbound |
| Parker Street at North Florida Avenue | Southbound |
| Socrum Loop Road at Old Combee Road | Northbound and southbound |
| U.S. 98 at Griffin Road | Northbound and southbound |
Source: Ordinance 6162, Section 98-94. The ordinance lists Florida Avenue at Memorial Boulevard and Socrum Loop Road at Daughtery Road as separate entries by direction; they are combined here.
The ordinance does not say which of these approaches already had cameras and which are new. The Lakeland Police Department’s red light camera page lists all 16 intersections under “current locations.” It says the commission “has approved the placement of additional Red Light Cameras” at them.
A year ago the list was much shorter. The ordinance the commission adopted in September 2025, proposed as 25-030, named four approaches at two intersections: Florida Avenue at George Jenkins Boulevard and Massachusetts Avenue at East Parker Street.
What the cameras did last year
The police department reports on the program to the commission once a year, as state law requires. Its summary report for July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026 went to the commission Sept. 21. The city’s camera vendor is Verra Mobility.
| July 2024 to June 2025 | July 2025 to June 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Notices of violation issued | 27,644 | 27,609 |
| Violations contested | 688 | 253 |
| Contested and upheld | 623 | 250 |
| Contested and dismissed | 5 | 3 |
| Violations paid | 17,003 | 16,597 |
| Uniform traffic citations issued | 6,605 | 6,240 |
| Total money collected | $3,542,548 | $3,388,416 |
| Sent to the State of Florida | $1,565,087 | $1,544,092 |
| City administration fees and expenses | $1,070,658 | $1,101,811 |
| To the city’s General Fund | $906,803 | $742,513 |
Sources: the department’s summary reports for 2024-25 and 2025-26. Dollar figures are rounded to the nearest dollar.
The number of notices barely moved, down 35 from the year before. Far fewer drivers fought them: 253 contested, against 688 a year earlier. Almost all challenges failed in both years.
Less than a quarter of the money stayed with the city for general spending. Of the $3,388,416 collected:
- $1,544,092 went to the State of Florida, about 46%.
- $1,101,811 covered city administration fees and expenses, about 33%.
- $742,513 went to the city’s General Fund, about 22%.
The General Fund share fell by $164,290 from the year before, while fees and expenses rose by $31,153.
What it means for you
- Know the 16 intersections. The table above lists every camera approach the city has authorized. The police department also links an interactive map from its red light camera page.
- If you get a notice, the same page explains how to pay, ask for a payment extension or contest it. The Red Light Camera Office is at 863-834-6251.
- The commission can change the list by passing another ordinance. Any new location needs the same safety finding at a public hearing first.
- For current road work and detours, see our road construction and closures page. For police activity, see the Police and Fire log.
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