Iowa Supreme Court says Cedar Rapids speed cameras are legal

DES MOINES — The Iowa Supreme Court has again upheld the use of speed cameras in Cedar Rapids.

The Supreme Court originally had originally ruled in favor of some of the claims in the class action lawsuit against the cameras on Interstate 380, but reheard the case after the city said the ruling did not rely on the most current version of the ordinance.

In the latest ruling, the high court says many citizens may regard the automated cameras as “speed traps,” and the city seeks to encourage payment of fines rather than to force driver into small claims court. But the ruling says while the court respectfully acknowledge these concerns, “the case involves traffic citations with small fines — not the pumping of a resisting person’s stomach.”

The ruling does leave open the possibility of another challenge to the speed cameras.  It says it is possible to imagine a scenario in which the challenger develops a factual record that demonstrates the system is not related to public safety concerns and is simply designed to raise revenues for the city.

But the court says the plaintiffs have not made such a showing in this case.

Here’s the full ruling: Cedar-Rapids-speed-camera-PDF