Rio Rancho Installs New Mobile Speed Cameras, Begins Warning Period

Today the Rio Rancho Police Department begins replacing its existing vehicle based automated mobile speed enforcement cameras used by the Safe Traffic Operations Program STOP with updated units as the current equipment is being phased out. The city will continue working with the same third party vendor Verra Mobility for equipment deployment and administration, and citations will remain at one hundred dollars.

Ten new mobile units will be placed on Rio Rancho maintained roadways. Once the units are in position a 45 day warning and grace period will start, during which only warning notices will be issued. Placement decisions are guided by police data on speeding and by citizen requests and concerns. A separate request to place equipment along portions of N.M. 528 which is a state maintained roadway is under review by the New Mexico Department of Transportation Commission and requires that agency approval before deployment.

Enforcement thresholds are unchanged, with notices of violation to be issued for vehicles travelling eleven miles per hour over posted limits on general roadways and for vehicles travelling five miles per hour over posted limits in school zones. Each mobile unit is equipped with dual radar systems and captures photo and video evidence. That evidence is reviewed by a sworn officer before a notice of violation is issued.

The STOP program is self funded, with revenue shared between the vendor, the State of New Mexico and the City of Rio Rancho. City officials report that the city used its portion of citation revenue last fiscal year to replace police vehicles. For local motorists the immediate impact will be greater visibility of automated enforcement and a period in which warnings rather than fines will be issued as drivers adjust. School communities can expect continued emphasis on slower speeds in zones around campuses.

Automated speed enforcement is increasingly used in jurisdictions worldwide as a tool to reduce crashes and to standardize enforcement. For Rio Rancho residents the new equipment means a renewed focus on posted limits, ongoing data driven placement of units, and a clear timeline before citations begin.