Basalt poised to put traffic cameras on Highway 82

Basalt’s Town Council is supportive of placing speed enforcement cameras on Highway 82, voting unanimously on Tuesday for an amendment to town code that would allow automated traffic enforcement systems.

The vote also subsequently approved a contract with traffic enforcement operator DACRA Tech. 

Tuesday’s discussion was focused on cameras that will be placed along Highway 82 roughly between mile markers 22 and 23, where the speed limit drops from 55 miles per hour to 45 miles per hour before returning to 55 miles per hour. 

Prior to discussion, Basalt Police Chief Aaron Munch submitted a letter to council to address concerns he had heard from the community about the potential installation of traffic cameras. Specifically, he addressed the difference between these cameras, which are “automated vehicle identification systems,” and license plate reader systems, as well as privacy concerns.

Munch explained in the letter that automated vehicle identification systems do not constantly film roads in the way that license plate reader systems do. The constant filming and storage of data has been a concern for some, as one of the largest operators of this technology, Flock Safety, was exposed for sharing data with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, according to internet and privacy news outlet 404 Media. 

The Basalt cameras would work distinctly from the Flock ones, according to Munch, only recording when a vehicle is traveling a pre-established amount above the posted speed limit. In Colorado, these systems can only ticket violators travelling roughly 10 miles per hour over posted speeds. 

Munch also pointed to DACRA Tech’s privacy policy to address privacy concerns, which states that the data collected is the property of Basalt, and that other agencies and third parties do not have access to it. 

Councilors, however, asked for explicit clarity that data could not be shared with Homeland Security or Immigrations and Customs Enforcement.

“It seems like a lot of concerns that we’ve heard are obviously about the data sharing with other state and federal agencies,” said Councilor Angele Dupre-Butchart on Tuesday. “I think that it’s pretty obvious which federal agencies people are concerned that the data might be shared with.  Can we explicitly state that this data will not be shared with Homeland Security or ICE?”

Munch responded that the town of Basalt would be able to prevent that.

The cameras, when installed, would have to go through a 30-day warning period where speeding drivers would receive a mailed warning rather than a ticket. After that period, tickets would be a flat $40 fine and would assess no points to the violators license. 

Basalt Town Council passed two measures on Tuesday related to the eventual installation of these cameras. One amended town code to permit the use of automated vehicle identification systems, and the other approved a contract with DACRA Tech for use of their technology. Both were passed unanimously, though the code amendment will require a second reading and public hearing before it is enacted. 

Second reading is scheduled for Basalt Town Council’s March 24 meeting.