COLORADO SPRINGS — The 22nd red-light traffic camera is coming to Colorado Springs. It will be placed on the Woodmen Road and Campus Drive intersection.
I’m told the camera is looking to be placed here in March. I spoke with residents who drive this route daily and they tell me they have seen their fair share of reckless driving. In fact, Springs police tell me over the past three years, this spot has had two fatal crashes, causing three deaths.
Colorado Springs is continuing to grow rapidly as a city. But with the increasing population come more people sharing the roads and it’s created some dangerous situations. That is why Springs police have placed red-light cameras throughout the city.
“We get a lot of violations that come in through these red-light cameras. We want compliance. We want people to know they are there because we want people to be consciously thinking about their driving behaviors when they are out and about,” said Daniel Thompson, commander at CSPD.
According to Colorado Springs Police, Colorado Springs had 56 traffic fatalities last year. This is a new record for the most in the state. The Woodmen and Campus intersection is contributing to the city’s traffic fatalities.
“That intersection is really important to us because we’ve had a couple of bad fatal traffic crashes there over the last couple of years,” said Thompson.
This is the 20th intersection to receive a camera in Colorado Springs. Since some interactions have two cameras, it is the 22nd red light camera in the city.
But will it be the last? That part is up in the air.
“I can’t say, but I want to make sure if we do continue down this road, that we are using the cameras in an appropriate manner to make sure that they’re having the desired impact on public safety,” said Thompson.
I spoke with several drivers who take this route. The majority of those drivers felt the same.
“I don’t really have a problem with it. I drive through it every day and it seems like it’s okay in my opinion,” Jeff Cooper, a local driver.
Still, there are questions on if the tickets received for running a red-light camera will be enforced.
“If you’re turning on a right, and you don’t completely stop are they going to get you for that or is going to turn into a nanny state type thing, versus trusting people to obey the laws,” said Cooper.
So, are these cameras keeping our roads safer? Springs police tell me they are still gathering data on the number of crashes before and after the installation of these cameras. Their goal is to evaluate that data this year.
Here is a list of the current red light cameras in Colorado Springs:
- East Platte Avenue and Chelton Road
- Briargate Boulevard and Lexington Drive
- North Academy Boulevard and North Carefree Circle
- North Academy Boulevard and Dublin Boulevard
- Lake Avenue and East Cheyenne Mountain
- Airport Road and South Academy Boulevard
- East Platte Avenue and North Union Boulevard
- East Woodmen Road and Duryea Drive
- Austin Bluffs and North Academy
- Platte and North Murray
- Woodmen Road and Black Forest Road
- Barnes Road and Tutt Boulevard
- Maizeland and North Academy
- Voyager Pkwy and Academy Blvd
- Colorado Ave and 31st Street
- Academy Blvd and Astrozon Blvd
- Voyager Pkwy and Interquest Pkwy
- Union Blvd and Fillmore Street
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