Iowa DOT Denies Charles City, Others for Automated Traffic Enforcement Cameras

The Iowa DOT Tuesday (10.01) announced its rulings on applications for 348 automated traffic enforcement locations from 28 jurisdictions across the state.

Of the 348 location applications received, 154 locations were approved and 194 were denied. Those denied include Charles City, Chester, Fayette, Independence, Hazleton, Hudson, LaPorte City, Maynard, Oelwein, Postville, Strawberry Point, and West Union.

Reasons for denial included “not using system prior to January 1, 2024,” as was the case for all four cameras being denied in Charles City.  Others were denied for “not necessary” or “not least restrictive means,” which indicates all other methods to control speeds at a location have not been exhausted or the speed camera use is impractical. 

About a dozen traffic enforcement cameras were approved in Waterloo, but almost another two dozen were not.

Charles City had hoped to have their speed cameras active prior to January 1st, but delays in the permitting process from the Iowa DOT pushed implementation to early March. The cameras were shut down at midnight June 30th after a new state law went into effect putting much more restrictive regulations in place on their use.

Municipalities can appeal the DOT denials. Once their appeals are submitted, director of the DOT Systems Operations Bureau, Dave Lorenzen, has 30 days to respond.