28k Warnings, Now Real Fines: CO's I-25 Speed Camera Experiment Is Over

The program

The automated enforcement system is set up on northbound I-25 between Mead and Berthoud, a corridor that is part of the larger I-25 North Express Lanes project. Construction in the area is expected to continue through 2028, meaning lane shifts, narrowed roadways, and increased crash risk for the foreseeable future.

Unlike traditional speed cameras that capture a single moment in time, this system uses average speed measurement. Two cameras at different points measure how long it takes a vehicle to travel between them. If the math shows you were speeding, you get a ticket. No flashing lights. No officer pulling you over. Just a notice in the mail.

During the warning period, March 1 to April 1, 2026, the system flagged 28,554 vehicles. Each vehicle received only one warning notice, even if it was caught speeding multiple times. Now that the warning phase has ended, violations trigger civil penalties starting at $75, with higher fines depending on how fast the driver was going.

The results

Here is the stat that matters: CDOT reports a 90% reduction in speeding during the warning period alone. That is not a typo. Ninety percent.

Stacia Sellers, a CDOT spokesperson, made clear that the program's goal is not revenue, despite assertions from many online commenters. "The main goal is to reduce speeding, which we are already seeing during the warning period, which is great," she said. "Hopefully we see that during the violation period as well."

In other words, the cameras seem to be working. Drivers are slowing down. And that means fewer crashes, fewer injuries, and fewer fatalities in a construction zone where workers are just feet away from high-speed traffic.

The legal framework: Civil penalties, not criminal

It is important to understand what these fines are and what they are not. The penalties issued by the automated system are civil violations, not criminal. That means:

• No points on your driver's license
• No insurance reporting (in most cases)
• No potential jail time

But they are still real fines. And they are enforceable. Ignoring them can lead to collections, registration holds, and other administrative consequences. CDOT has not yet released full violation totals for April, but those numbers will be made public in the coming weeks.

What this means for drivers on I-25

If you drive northbound I-25 between Mead and Berthoud, here is what you need to know:

1. The cameras are active: The warning period is over. Fines are being issued. Assume you are being watched every time you enter the construction zone
2. Average speed matters: You cannot speed up between cameras and then slow down at the second point. The system calculates your average speed over the entire segment. Consistent, legal speed is the only way to avoid a ticket
3. Construction zones are dangerous: The reason for this program is not to raise money. It is to protect workers and drivers. Narrow lanes, sudden stops, and heavy equipment create a high-risk environment. Speeding magnifies every danger
4. This could come to a road near you: Colorado's program is being watched by transportation departments across the country. If it proves effective, and early data suggests it is, automated speed enforcement could expand to other highways, other states, and other construction zones

Technology and traffic safety

The I-25 program is part of a broader shift in traffic enforcement. Police departments cannot be everywhere. Budgets are tight. Personnel are limited. But cameras? Cameras can watch 24/7, 365 days a year. They do not get tired. They do not look away. They do not need coffee breaks.

Critics of automated enforcement raise valid concerns: privacy, accuracy, and the potential for revenue-driven policing. CDOT has addressed some of these by limiting the program to an active construction zone, where safety risks are highest, and by emphasizing the dramatic reduction in speeding during the warning period.

But the technology is spreading. And drivers should expect to see more of it.

Twenty-eight thousand warnings in one month is a staggering number. It suggests that before the cameras went up, speeding on that stretch of I-25 was the norm, not the exception. Drivers were accustomed to pushing the limit. Now, they are not.

That is good news for everyone who uses that road. Lower speeds mean fewer crashes due to that type of negligence. Fewer crashes mean fewer injuries. Fewer injuries mean fewer families getting that terrible phone call.

If you have been injured in a crash—whether in a construction zone, on a highway, or on a city street—the independent attorneys we connect you with have the experience to investigate the cause and fight for the compensation you deserve.