Colorado’s Department of Transportation has rolled out its much-vaunted Speed Enforcement Program, planting Automated Vehicle Identification Systems along Highway 119 between Boulder and Longmont—primarily in work zones—so that any motorist averaging 10 mph or more over the limit will snap two photos, get timestamped, and receive a $75 civil penalty in the mail (warnings start July 21, civil fines follow) . CDOT and the State Patrol promise it’s all “about protecting lives,” but make no mistake: these bots don’t distinguish between a deliberate lead-foot and someone who merely drifted a few miles over while running late for work.
Here’s the kicker: is this really due process, or just another cash cow disguised as public safety? A camera can’t read intent—did you intentionally gun it past a crew of hard-hats, or were you simply coasting downhill when the bot caught you? If enforcement is truly about hazard reduction, shouldn’t a human officer’s judgment come into play? Now that Greeley’s “revenue generators” are stalking hillsides where you can’t even see oncoming traffic I’m bitter – I am pretty sure I got bagged on the way into the office this AM), we want to hear from you: are speed cameras a necessary safeguard in construction zones, or an Orwellian milk cow for CDOT’s coffers? Drop your hot takes in the comments below—let’s see if real Coloradans think these robo-ticketers deserve a green light, or if it’s time to put the brakes on automated enforcement.
