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Smile! The Mendota Heights speed camera is now set up on Delaware Avenue and will soon starting issuing citations. It’s part of a pilot program with rigorous notification and warning period requirements.
- Where: It’s located on the 1300 block of southbound Delaware Avenue.
- What triggers: Traveling more than 10 mph over the speed limit (so 41 mph in this 30-mph zone) triggers the camera.
- How: The first infraction gets a written warning mailed to the vehicle’s owner. The second gets a citation.
- Cost: The speeding citations cost $40 (unless you’re doing more than 20 mph over, and then it doubles to $80). However, if it’s your first citation you can watch a 30-minute educational video and it will be dismissed.
- When: We’re currently in a warning period where all infractions get a written warning in the mail. But starting August 21, citations will begin.
Effectiveness
Every warning and citation has to be generated by a person—nothing is automatic or generated by artificial intelligence (AI).
“It is a lot of work,” said Mendota Heights Police Chief Kelly McCarthy. “I think that it does reduce speeding, but the real value is the information we gather that allows us to better deploy our human resources.”
As an example, McCarthy notes that speeding complaints are often vague with no specific time of day or vehicle description. But after putting up the camera on Delaware, they noticed the same vehicle driving at an excessive speed during a 10-minute window every morning. With those specifics, they were able to send out an officer who caught and cited the driver on the second day.
How many: The camera on Delaware captured 340 drivers going 46 mph (16 mph over the limit) out of 47,286 vehicles. That works out to 0.7% of drivers.
Potential concerns: Chief McCarthy is quick to point out that this is not an automatic license plate reader, it is not tracking every vehicle, there is no AI involved, and no data is shared with any other agency.
History
The speed camera is part of a four-year, state-wide pilot program testing cameras in Mendota Heights and Minneapolis. Mendota Heights only has one camera. Last year the camera was located on the 500 block of Marie Avenue and the city sent out 30 citations. Every time the city moves the camera they have to go through another round of notifications and warnings before they can start sending citations.
Why Mendota Heights: The city already had the camera and was using it for warnings. “Minneapolis started the push to issue citations and we jumped on their coattails as we were the only police department in Minnesota using the camera already,” said McCarthy.
What’s Next
The camera will be up until November when it’s stored for the winter. Next year it will move to a different location.
Learn more: Get more details from the City of Mendota Heights.
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