Marion appeals denial of traffic cameras

The city of Marion has submitted a request to the Iowa Department of Transportation to appeal the agency’s denial of five stationary automated traffic enforcement cameras and two locations for mobile cameras.

Under a new state law, Marion and other municipalities that operate traffic speed cameras were required to apply earlier this year to the Iowa Department of Transportation for permission to continue using the cameras to issue tickets.

All five of Marion’s fixed-location speeding cameras were denied permission to continue operation — although they still can be used for red-light citations — and 25 of the city’s 54 mobile camera location requests were denied.

On Oct. 31, the city submitted an appeal to the Iowa DOT, asking it to reconsider approval for cameras at the two fixed intersections — Highway 100 and East Post Road, and Highway 151 and Highway 13 — and two of the denied mobile locations — the 1200 block of Sixth Avenue and the 3500 block of Highway 100.

According to the appeal, the two mobile locations were denied because they were deemed “not appropriate,” meaning traffic cameras at those locations either don’t comply with the law’s requirements or they aren’t the right method to control vehicle speeds.

The new law states that mobile speed units can only be used in neighborhoods, construction zones, school zones, or locations where traffic enforcement is difficult or dangerous by other methods.

The appeal argues that traditional traffic enforcement at the Sixth Avenue location is dangerous because of the lack of parking and the high volume of vehicular, pedestrian and bike traffic in the downtown area. The city argued that traditional traffic enforcement at the Highway 100 location is dangerous because of low lighting, road layout that limits visibility and a tendency for excessive speeds in the area.

The fixed cameras were denied on the grounds that speeding cameras at those locations would not be the least-restrictive means of enforcing traffic there. The appeal argues that traditional law enforcement in those areas is impractical because it would require two or more officers be positioned there, and the police department doesn’t have the staff to spare for that effort. The department has only been fully-staffed during five of the past 53 months, according to the appeal.

Cedar Rapids waiting to hear from DOT on its appeal

Cedar Rapids also submitted an appeal in October for two of its speeding cameras that were rejected on the S-curve of I-380. The city still has two cameras active on the curve. The DOT’s response to the city’s appeals could take up to 180 days from the day the appeal was submitted, according to DOT officials.

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Cedar Rapids appeals rejection of I-380 traffic cameras

In a statement sent to The Gazette, Cedar Rapids Police Chief David Dostal said the city has not yet decided whether to appeal other camera locations that were denied.

“For the I-380 cameras, the appeal process allowed us to provide additional data demonstrating how all four cameras work best together to effectively address safety challenges along the I-380 S-curve. The combination of high speeds, heavy traffic volume, and the unique design increases the risk of severe safety issues and make other means of enforcement difficult,” Dostal said in the statement.

Although the rejected cameras are no longer issuing speeding citations, Cedar Rapids has continued to use them to collect data — some of which was presented in the city’s appeal.

In the last week before the cameras stopped issuing tickets — Sept. 23-30 — 2,755 cars were found speeding more than 10 mph over the 55 mph speed limit by the two rejected cameras. In the week after the cameras stopped issuing citations — Oct. 1-8 — 3,438 cars were detected speeding more than 10 mph over the limit, an increase of nearly 25 percent.

Comments: (319) 398-8328; emily.andersen@thegazette.com