By Nick Bergus, Iowa City Like many cities, Iowa City makes use of cameras and license plate readers to help manage its parking and traffic systems. Unlike most, Iowa City’s code includes significant privacy protections, prohibiting these devices from being used to identify a vehicle, its operator, occupants or owner. When the ordinance was passed […]
traffic cameras
Posted inCommunity/News
Gov. Kim Reynolds signs final bills from the 2024 legislative session, including hemp, traffic cameras, consolidation and secrecy laws
Gov. Kim Reynolds on Friday signed the final slate of bills remaining from the 2024 legislative session, including new laws related to the regulation of hemp-derived product and changes to the state’s boards and commissions. The signing of 20 bills marked the end of action on legislation passed during the 2024 session. While some of […]
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Senate sends bill on traffic camera regulation, DOT oversight to governor
A bill regulating — but not banning — traffic camera use by local law enforcement was sent to Gov. Kim Reynolds by the Senate with bipartisan support Monday. House File 2681 passed 46-1 Monday, with Sen. Lynn Evans, R-Aurelia, voting against he measure. The bill gives the Iowa Department of Transportation oversight of how Iowa cities […]
Posted inLetters
Letter to the editor: New traffic cameras around Iowa City spark concern
By Kyle Nilson, Iowa City Over the past few weeks, citizens of Iowa City have noticed new cameras watching our roads. These cameras, made by Flock Safety, are advertised to capture license plates and other details that Flock saves to construct a “Vehicle Fingerprint.” These capabilities are used to track vehicles in real time, notifying […]
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Cedar Rapids will pay up to $1.2 million to settle lawsuit over traffic cameras
The city of Cedar Rapids will pay up to $1.2 million as part of a class action lawsuit settlement that received final approval on Thursday by a state district court judge. The lawsuit challenged the methods the city used to collect unpaid traffic camera fines. Under the terms of the settlement, the city will issue […]
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Cedar Rapids issued more than 120,000 citations and collected $3.1 million in fines from traffic cameras in six months
Cedar Rapids’ automated traffic cameras generated 122,620 citations during the first six months after the city started using them again in July. The city also collected $3.1 million in fines for speeding or red light violations during those six months.
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Cedar Rapids City Council votes to refund or cancel $17 million in fines to settle a lawsuit over traffic cameras
The Cedar Rapids City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to settle a class action lawsuit that challenged the methods the city used to collect unpaid traffic camera fines. The lawsuit was filed in January 2018, a month after the city sent 221,000 notices to people with unpaid traffic camera citations, telling them to pay up or the outstanding amount would be sent to the Iowa Department of Administrative Service’s offset program for collection.
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Cedar Rapids issued more than 26,000 traffic tickets during first month after its speed cameras were reactivated
Cedar Rapids issued more than 26,000 citations in the first month of operating its traffic cameras since 2017, potentially bringing in more than $1.4 million in revenue. From the 26,424 citations issued in July, 26,103 were for speeding and 321 were for running a red light. Around 25,800 of the speeding tickets were issued from the cameras on I-380.
Posted inCommunity/News
Cedar Rapids issued more than 4,000 tickets in four days after the I-380 speed cameras were reactivated
Cedar Rapids issued over 4,000 tickets generated in four days after it reactivated its I-380 speed cameras at the beginning of July, the Gazette reported on Wednesday. Between July 1-4, the southbound camera at the highway’s S-curve generated 2,272 tickets and its northbound counterpart produced 2,192.
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Cedar Rapids will start using its I-380 speed cameras again in June
Cedar Rapids will start using its speed cameras on I-380 to issue tickets again on Saturday, June 1, according to a news release from the city. Although the cameras have never been turned off, they haven’t been used to issue tickets since 2017, due to lawsuits over the automated enforcement system.
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Cedar Rapids will start using its speed cameras on I-380 ‘soon’
Cedar Rapids will start using its speed cameras on I-380 to issue tickets again “soon,” Mayor Brad Hart announced during his State of the City speech on Wednesday. Hart seemed to acknowledge that the decision is unpopular by prefacing his announcement with, “You probably don’t want to hear this,” before claiming the cameras are almost […]
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Iowa Supreme Court rules in favor of Cedar Rapids’ I-380 speed cameras
The Iowa Supreme Court ruled on Friday that Cedar Rapids’ speed cameras are legal. The decision came in a class action lawsuit that argued the city’s use of speed cameras, and its contracting of a private company that profits from the speeding fines to operate the cameras and issue tickets, violated a driver’s right to due process.
