Not too long ago, the presence of speed cameras was fairly commonplace in Iowa. But as of this week, the number of operational cameras in the Hawkeye State has been dramatically slashed.

The reduction in cameras all stems from a state law signed by Governor Kim Reynolds in May. The law set new standards for the use of speed cameras and now requires cities to obtain permits from the Iowa Department of Transportation before cameras can be operational.

The deadline for getting those permits was Tuesday (October 1).

Of the 348 permit requests from 28 different cities throughout the state, only 11 were approved in just five cities:

  • Cedar Rapids (4 cameras)
  • Davenport (4 cameras)
  • Des Moines (1 camera)
  • LeClaire (1 camera)
  • Marshalltown (1 camera)

That means 337 cameras are now offline in the state while local officials figure out their next move.

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The law states that a municipality using a fixed camera at a location for the first time on or after January 1, 2024, cannot be issued a permit by the DOT before July 1, 2026.

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