"The city of Long Beach just like five other cities within the state of California have state authority to implement a pilot project for speed enforcement cameras," said Eric Lopez, the director of Long Beach Public Works.
The city plans to install upwards of 18 traffic cameras in the city targeting some of the most problematic areas where speeding and street takeovers remain an issue.
Lopez says those with a need for speed tend to rev it up along streets like Artesia Boulevard. That includes using the roadway during street takeovers which is often posted on social media. This is one of the streets the city could place speed enforcement cameras.
"So the city of Long Beach is following the lead of San Francisco and we are in the process of preparing all the documentation that's required by the state of California in order to be able to put out this new speed enforcement program," Lopez said.
"I'm hoping these future cameras are going to actually calm traffic down. Nobody likes to get a ticket. Nobody likes to get a ticket for speeding. Our residents don't like speeding on our streets," he added.
Lopez says for now the city of San Francisco has been issuing hundreds of warnings to drivers targeted for speeding by the speed enforcement cameras.
"You need to have a warning period as part of the program before you can actually start providing tickets. They are in that warning period right now, and they better start slowing down are they're all going to start getting some really expensive tickets," Lopez said.
Eyewitness News talked to residents fed up with speeding and street takeovers.
One resident said he doesn't know if the cameras will be that effective against takeovers.
"These street takeovers are not going fast. They're going slow, and they're going in circles. So a speed camera is not going to activate on something slow," the resident said.