For Immediate Release

Wednesday, August 12, 2026

City of Alamosa to Install Speed Cameras Mid-September

Alamosa, CO –  The Alamosa Police Department will be installing  Automated Vehicle Identification System (AVIS) cameras across designated corridors in mid-September. This initiative is part of an ongoing commitment to enhancing traffic safety and mitigating speed-related incidents.  The cameras are only used for the purpose of identifying vehicles traveling over the posted speed limit.  Consistent with state law and city ordinances, data on the cameras is only kept if a violation is detected. It is confidential and exempt from disclosure under CORA (the Colorado Open Records Act) or CCJRA (the Colorado Criminal Justice Records Act). It is destroyed within 3 years after final disposition of a violation.

The Alamosa Police Department regularly receives complaints of speeding across town.  In order to assess the severity of the potential speeding, the Department sets out a speed trailer that can track the speeds.  Several of these locations did in fact have pervasive speeding behavior such as south Craft Drive, south State Avenue, Main Street, and 6th Street.  Surprisingly, other locations where the Department often receives complaints such as First Street did not have the same level of pervasive speeding behavior.  Given that there are only 4 to 5 officers on shift at any given time, usage of the speed cameras ensures that the Police Department can address the speeding concerns efficiently, where the data supports the usage, without having to pull an officer to sit for hours monitoring traffic.  Contrary to what some may think, the usage of these cameras has nothing to do with revenue generation.  Their purpose is to reduce speeding behavior to improve safety in our community and allow the Police Department to better utilize officer time.

To ensure a smooth transition and allow drivers time to adjust, there will be a 30-day warning period following installation. During these first 30 days, no traffic tickets or fines will be issued. Instead, drivers detected traveling 7 mph or higher over the posted speed limit by the new system will receive informational warning notices.

After the 30-day warning period, the cameras will send a $40 ticket to the registered owner of the vehicle traveling 7 mph or higher over the speed limit ($120 ticket if it's more than 25 mph over the speed limit).  Directions on how to contest the ticket will be included in the information sent with the ticket.

Leading up to and throughout the installation process, the City of Alamosa will post public education resources on its official channels, such as Facebook, Instagram and the City website to inform community members about how the AVIS technology works, where enforcement zones are located, and what drivers can expect.

Residents and commuters with questions regarding the AVIS program or safety camera enforcement are encouraged to contact the Alamosa Police Department directly at 719-589-2548.