Photo Radar

[Tortoise_Hiker]

HEADS UP
I was up on my way back from Show Low this weekend. As I was comming into Star Valley I noticed they put up a permanent photo radar.Wow. How long has that been there? Just a "Heads Up".

[fairweather8588]

Noticed that too on tuesday. I'm sure they'll catch a lot of people doing that, however I don't think its operational yet, otherwise I probably would have gotten flashed....

[Dschur]

Yes the photo radar is set up permently and you will be getting a ticket as of March 1st. Right now is the warning period. They have been working on getting it there for about 6 months or so.
From the Payson Roundup...

Friday, February 15, 2008

In just one week, nearly 1,800 speeders triggered Star Valley's new Highway 260 photo enforcement cameras -- but so far, all that's costing them is the anxiety of tearing open a sternly worded warning.

But starting on March 1, anyone zipping over the sensors buried in the road will trip the cameras, which will trigger a ticket costing at least $187.

Drivers who exceed the 45-mile speed limit by 41 miles an hour will not only get a $510 ticket, but likely face criminal charges, according to Star Valley Traffic Enforcement Agent Dick Baranzini.

The flood of speeders between Jan. 31 and Feb 7 surprised town officials
Before actually turning on the cameras, town officials had little real idea how many tickets the system might generate.

A radar-van set up on a Saturday last June quickly recorded 50 people traveling at the 56 miles an hour threshold for issuing a ticket, which, if extrapolated 24-hours a day, would have yielded 10,000 tickets a month. But no one expected that number to come even close.

7,000 speeders per month

However, a week of snapping pictures and issuing warnings during a season in which traffic volumes are relatively low suggests the system could easily capture 7,000 speeders per month.

During the first week of the trial period, most of the 1,700 drivers who triggered the cameras were doing between 56 and 60. About 7 drivers a day were going 21 miles an hour over the posted, 45-mile-per-hour limit.

Only one driver in that week approached the 75-mile-an-hour speed that would have triggered not only a real ticket, but a criminal prosecution -- a driver clocked at 74 miles an hour.

"And he was blowing through there on a rainy, snowy day -- it really ticked me," said Baranzini.

[Grasshopper]

This is an important one to know about.. ahead of time! Sounds like they are serious about this one and bet it will be a real $goldmine$ for generating revenue for the area.. Thanks for posting the details!

[Dschur]

This is an important one to know about.. ahead of time! Sounds like they are serious about this one and bet it will be a real $goldmine$ for generating revenue for the area.. Thanks for posting the details!

The main thing is to sllllloooww down the traffic it is way too fast in that area and there are lots of accidents along there. When people do slow down to just over the speed limit people will blow on past them not signalling or anything. And there are all kinds of people pulling in and out of the Circle K there and you don't want to miss "Pete's Place". ;-) They are considering it on the way into Payson too.

[PrestonSands]

This is probably a good thing. People really fly through there. I almost got rear ended a few times when I lived in Star Valley.

[chumley]

I thought DPS was only using the vans ... didn't know permanent cameras would be set up.

Any other spots that anybody knows permanent cameras are being set up?

[Ace4]

Drivers who exceed the 45-mile speed limit by 41 miles an hour will not only get a $510 ticket, but likely face criminal charges, according to Star Valley Traffic Enforcement Agent Dick Baranzini.

I thought one of the limitations of photo radar and red light cameras was that it could only legally be considered a civil penalty (ie a monetary fine only)?

[Dschur]

Drivers who exceed the 45-mile speed limit by 41 miles an hour will not only get a $510 ticket, but likely face criminal charges, according to Star Valley Traffic Enforcement Agent Dick Baranzini.

I thought one of the limitations of photo radar and red light cameras was that it could only legally be considered a civil penalty (ie a monetary fine only)?

This is what is posted in the Payson paper. What is exactly true I am not sure. This is coming from a brand new police force in the official town of Star Valley. They have incorporated the town and setting up their own government. One of the reasons is the keep Payson from stealing the water there.