Manitou Springs clarifies potential locations and fines for proposed speeding cameras

MANITOU SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - The decision was originally made in 2024. That's when the Manitou Springs City Council first passed an ordinance that cleared the way for speeding cameras to come to the municipality.

Almost two years later, there are still no speeding cameras, but there's a clearer picture of where they could be and what the penalty will be for those caught on camera.

Council Bill No. 2126, which covers the speeding camera issue in Manitou Springs, is largely described as "updates (to) the City Code to reflect these state-mandated changes" in the city staff write-up of the bill. Those state-mandated changes refer to the recently passed SB26-152, which put in new regulations for automated vehicle identification systems (AVIS) in the state.

Beyond those state-mandated changes are new details about where these cameras could be placed. The bill mentions six different corridors as automated vehicle identification system corridors:

1. Sunshine Trail
2. Serpentine Drive
3. Manitou Avenue
4. Crystal Park Road
5. El Paso Boulevard
6. US Highway 24 Bypass

If caught speeding under 6 mph the driver may only get a written warning with no penalty. Between 6 mph and 10 mph, drivers may get a warning the first time, but the second time will be a fine.

The city says that the fine could be up to $40, which could be multiplied up to $80 if it happens in a school zone. The cameras could also issue a $75 fine if it catches any drivers committing a moving violation, such as running a stop sign.

"I live just off of El Paso, and the speed limit is 20 miles an hour, and everybody speeds, and it's dangerous because it lines around lots of curbs. People are on bicycles, I'm walking my dog," George Powell, a Manitou Springs resident, told KRDO13.

A vote from the city council on Tuesday night still left questions about the speeding cameras in Manitou Springs. No timeline for installation was discussed, and a spokesperson for the city said that they had not begun reaching out to speed camera companies.

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