See Western Colorado’s Most Notorious Speed Trap Towns

Rolling down I-70 towards Grand Junction feels way more free and easy than driving around the Denver metro these days. However, it's easy to forget how quickly the small towns along US-50 can turn into ticket traps.

Keep scrolling to see the Western Slope towns where the fines are piling up fast. They are not always the places you might expect.

How Colorado is Catching Speeders Faster

Read More: Automated Speed Ticket System Implemented in Western Colorado

The Colorado Department of Transportation's Speed Enforcement Program was introduced earlier this year. It uses automated cameras to attempt to catch speeders, primarily in work zones. The system, called AVIS, takes a photograph of your vehicle at two different points.

If the computer calculates you traveled between Point A and B at more than 10 mph over the speed limit, it writes you a ticket. Colorado plans to expand this camera system to enforce high-risk corridors and school zones. This leaves the Colorado State Patrol able to continue traditional enforcement by patrolling highways.

Where Western Colorado Drivers Get Pulled Over Most

Mesa County in Western Colorado landed in the top five counties in the state in 2024 for speeding citations. Drivers in the Grand Junction area were issued about 685 speeding tickets by the Colorado State Patrol alone last year, but the danger does not end there.

Speeding hotbeds have also been noted along the I-70 corridor in Garfield County (including Glenwood Springs). Glenwood recently installed new automated speed-enforcement cameras on city streets, a job previously handled by police officers. These days, if you travel the Western Slope, especially near Glenwood Springs and Grand Junction, you'd better leave your lead foot at home because the state can not wait to write you a ticket.

The Numbers Behind the Speeding Crackdown

Across Colorado in 2024, CSP troopers wrote over 14,400 citations for drivers blazing along at 20-40 mph over the speed limit. This data suggests that extreme speeding remains widespread. CDOT and local governments seem to rely on these figures to justify installing cameras, especially in work zones and high-traffic corridors.

In 2025, automated cameras are advertised as a way to improve safety. Some residents feel our communities would benefit more from actual police officers.

Read More: Minor Speeding Ticket Triggers Big Colorado Insurance Hike

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