Thousands cited by downhill speed camera on busy road as Colorado police department targets speeding
Along a steep downhill stretch of Kipling Street in Wheat Ridge, police say speeding has become a serious safety concern. It's one reason the Wheat Ridge Police Department installed speed cameras to monitor vehicles traveling both uphill and downhill.
"We have major roads in our community from I-70 to Wadsworth and Kipling. We see this as a force multiplier," said Alex Rose, a spokesperson for the Wheat Ridge Police Department.
According to the police department, the downhill camera generated 8,879 citations during its first full month of enforcement in August, compared with 628 citations from the uphill camera. In September, the downhill camera generated about 8,100 citations, while the uphill camera issued 702.
The average speed of cited drivers was about 52 mph in the 40 mph zone.
"The threshold that we have set is very reasonable. We are not penalizing people for going 1, 2 or 3 mph over," Rose said.
Rose said the automated enforcement technology has been effective at reducing speeds throughout the city.
"We are seeing it, and they are slowing down, and we are seeing that in every location where we put these cameras month over month," he said.
Still, the large number of citations issued on the downhill side of Kipling Street is raising questions about the camera's placement and purpose. Some drivers have labeled it a speed trap.
Asked about that criticism, Rose said the department's goal is safety, not revenue.
"A lot of people point to this technology and say it's a revenue generator, but our intended goal is just to bring down the temperature on the roads. When you look year over year, and we are dropping speeds 70% up to 80%, that's a pretty bad business model," he said.
Residents who use the corridor say safety concerns are real.
"These kinds of trucks full of garbage, that's pretty fast. If he has to slam on his brakes, he's going to slide everywhere, and we have had several accidents down there on the corner," one Wheat Ridge resident said.
For his family, the cameras are a welcome addition.
"It's doing its job," the same resident said.
Drivers cited by one of the city's speed cameras face a $40 fine but do not receive points against their driver's licenses.
City officials said a portion of the revenue generated by citations goes to the company that operates the cameras, while the remainder is deposited into the city's general fund.
