Have you fallen into the speed trap during a recent run to Glenwood Springs, perhaps after beating the light at Buffalo Valley and coming around the bend hastily approaching South Glen Avenue? Well, you’re definitely not alone. To curb incessant speeding, the City has placed one of its fancy new speed cameras nearby to catch motorists and send them a ticket in the mail.
Five automated vehicle identification system cameras were installed around the city, and after a public information and warning period priming locals, from Oct. 20 through Nov. 21, 2025, roughly 19,400 tickets have been sent out since. The deterrent strategy seems to be working, as data reflects that people are adjusting and slowing down (the primary goal). The speed cameras are being used in other parts of the state, following 2023 legislation that informed the provision in Colorado Revised Statute 42-4-110.5.
Even during that warning period, a couple hundred notices, sans fines, were sent out to owners of vehicles that triggered the cameras, but that didn’t even scratch the surface, explained Glenwood Springs Police Department Deputy Chief John Hassell, “because there were so many of them.”
While the above-the-limit threshold that prompts an issuance is not public knowledge, Hassell is confident commuters are beginning to figure that out.
The number of violations detected have already decreased, by 70-75% last week compared to when the program started out, explained Hassell. “As more tickets are issued, people are going to comply more with the speed limit,” he said.
However, he added that at this point it’s difficult to determine trends due to factors such as fluctuating traffic density throughout the year (it was hunting season when this started, Hassell pointed out) and road conditions. “We won’t really know until we look at a full year’s data,” he said.
The ramifications aren’t the same as those following a traditional traffic stop and citation, but rather treated as a civil matter, more comparable to a parking ticket. Being caught on camera doesn’t automatically result in points off a license or being reported to the Department of Motor Vehicles or insurance.
Before the camera system, a Glenwood Springs police officer was specifically assigned to patrol traffic, issuing between 10 to 20 tickets a day, Hassell estimated. Most officers might write two a day, he added, and are still patrolling traffic.
One camera is on the 100 block of Midland, near the intersection with Wulfsohn Road, two more are next to Yampah Mountain High School (facing both directions), another is at the other end of Midland (near the Four Mile Road intersection) and the one that has seen the most violation is at South Glen Avenue coming into the city from Highway 82. Road signs are in place ahead of each camera on the roadways, cautioning motorists.
The fine is set by the state statute at $40, doubled in school or construction zones, and is the same “whether you’re doing 10 over or 30 over,” explained Hassell. There is a stipulation that violations over 25mph could result in a visit from an officer and possibly a more severe citation being issued.
Notices are sent to the registered owner of a vehicle, who is responsible for the fine regardless of who else might have been driving, and includes a photo of the vehicle and close up of the license plate, the date, time and location of the alleged violation, the payment due date and information on how to challenge the penalty. The municipal court house will hold contested hearings once a month, the first session taking place this Thursday, Jan. 22.
The revenue generated, according to the statute, must first be used to cover the overhead expenses associated with the system, including officer oversight. Excess funds can go toward public safety and associated traffic infrastructure.
“I hope that the community understands that this is about making our community safe, reducing speeds, reducing accidents,” Hassell stated. “We appreciate the amount of effort that’s been made by community members to slow traffic down.”
More information can be found at www.tinyurl.com/GWSspeedcameras
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