The City of Muscatine hopes Iowa lawmakers don't outlaw automatic traffic cameras.
City spokesman, Kevin Jenison, says the district court upheld an Iowa DOT order for Muscatine to stop ticketing speeders using Automated Traffic Enforcement near U.S. Highway 61 and University Drive. The city is appealing.
But last year, the number of vehicles going ten miles an hour or more over the speed limit jumped to 19,711. That's about 11,000 more than the average of the previous five years.
Jenison says the city uses automated speed enforcement to prevent crashes and not to raise money. Muscatine acknowledges the rules about the systems need to be changed, and he says its willing to help develop and follow new guidelines.
Unlike Davenport, Muscatine did not hire an outside contractor to operate its Automated Traffic Enforcement system. Jenison says a police officer reviews every photo and potential traffic violation before issuing a citation.
