Automated traffic cameras near ready in Charles City

By Travis Fischer, tkfischer@charlescitypress.com

Drivers will need to watch their speed going in and out of Charles City as a series of automated traffic cameras are about ready to come online.

Initially proposed and approved last year, the Charles City Police Department has been working with Altumint Inc. to install cameras at four of Charles City’s major arteries, monitoring traffic on South Grand Avenue, Highway 14, Highway 18, and Gilbert Street.

The intent of the cameras is to slow down traffic coming into Charles City, particularly near bike trail crossings and on roads where frequent accidents occur.

“We can’t be on every road 24/7,” said Police Chief Hugh Anderson. “It helps us monitor that traffic.”

While originally planned to be ready to go by January, the process of getting the cameras installed has taken longer than anticipated. Delays in getting approval for use of the right-of-ways pushed the installation of the cameras and signage into late January and getting power to the cameras took a few weeks longer, leaving curious drivers wondering if they were operational or not.

“There was a lot involved there,” said Anderson.

While the cameras now have power going to them, it could still be a few more days before they are active. Altumint has yet to notify Anderson that they are ready to go live.

“They had to do a lot of calibration after the power came on,” said Anderson, who thinks that the cameras could be activated as early as this week.

The Charles City Council approved the installation of the cameras last fall, but did so with expressed reservations as the subject of automated law enforcement is a controversial topic in Iowa. The council approved moving forward with the cameras only after feeling comfortable that they would not be used overly aggressively.

To abide by the stated purpose of targeting the truly excessive speeders, the automated system is being set to overlook drivers traveling at less than 10 miles-per-hour over the posted speed limit.

Specifically, these posted speed limits range from 30 to 45 mph, so drivers will still need to make sure they are bringing their speed down coming into the city.

All four cameras track both directions as well, so outgoing drivers will also need to watch their acceleration.

Once going live, there will also be a 30-day grace period where flagged drivers are sent a warning instead of a ticket.

For those that are flagged by the cameras after the grace period is over, the photos will be reviewed by a Charles City police officer to make sure that the license plate matches the vehicle before a ticket is issued.

Tickets will be issued as civil infractions, with a penalty based on how much over the speed limit the vehicle is going.

“They don’t count against your license,” said Anderson.

Though the cameras are not yet active, their future in Charles City is already in question as a bill is making its way through the Iowa Legislature that would prohibit the use of remote systems for traffic law enforcement.

House File 2595 is the latest in a series of efforts by some legislators to ban automated traffic cameras in the state, this time tying the issue to new restrictions against using electronic devices while driving. If passed into law, the city would have until July 1, 2025, to discontinue using the system.

Whether HF 2595 passes or a later effort to ban traffic cameras is successful, Anderson says that he plans to utilize them until the state says otherwise.

“We’ll deal these as they come,” said Anderson.

On the other hand, if the automated system is successful, Anderson says that other cameras could be considered, particularly on streets around Charles City’s schools.

“If we find other areas of concern, there would be discussion on the possibility,” he said.

In the meantime, Anderson says that even though the cameras have yet to be turned on, they are already having the desired effect on traffic where the warning signage has been posted.

“We’ve seen a reduction in speeds in these areas already,” said Anderson. “That’s what we want. We want these things to work in favor of public safety.”