Drivers who park or stop in Santa Monica's bike lanes will start receiving $93 citations in the mail beginning Wednesday, July 1, after a two-month warning period that ended Monday.

The city's Automated Bike Lane Enforcement program uses AI-powered cameras mounted on seven parking enforcement vehicles to detect and record violations as the vehicles drive their routes. Santa Monica is the first city in California to deploy the technology for bike lane enforcement, according to the city's Department of Transportation.

Two forward-facing cameras on each vehicle's roof identify illegally parked cars and capture license plate information. An onboard computer generates an evidence package, which a city Parking Enforcement officer reviews before any citation goes out.

A six-week pilot in May 2024 flagged nearly 1,700 violations using just two equipped vehicles.

"Keeping bike lanes clear of illegally parked vehicles not only keeps cyclists safe, but it improves accessibility for people with disabilities who rely on powerchairs and motorized scooters," said Hayden AI CEO Marty Beard, whose San Francisco-based company operates the camera platform.

Damien Newton, editor of Santa Monica Next and a local cycling advocate, said even well-designed protected bike lanes lose much of their value when drivers block them, forcing cyclists into traffic and discouraging people who are new to biking.

The City Council approved a $944,000 contract modification with Hayden AI on January 13, bringing the six-year agreement to a total not to exceed $2,452,904. The council also approved $120,000 on March 24 for Modaxo Corporation to handle citation processing.

Measure K, the parking facility tax Santa Monica voters approved in 2024, funds the program. Payment plans are available for low-income residents who receive citations.

The bike lane effort builds on Santa Monica's Automated Bus Lane and Bus Stop Enforcement program, which launched on Big Blue Bus vehicles in 2025 using the same Hayden AI platform. That program cut bus lane violations by 67% and bus stop violations by 40% between its launch and March 2026, according to city data.

The enforcement launch comes as the city upgrades the Broadway bike lane with concrete protection between 5th and 26th streets and builds a new protected one-way bike lane on westbound Colorado Avenue between 17th and 5th streets.

The city has not published a list of priority enforcement corridors. Residents can report bike lane obstructions through the city's non-emergency channels.