What is the new Colorado Speed Enforcement Program?

Did you know that CDOT is now using speed cameras to enforce excessive speeds on Colorado work zones? This July, CDOT launched the Colorado Speed Enforcement Program to prevent speed-related fatalities along high-risk corridors, starting with Colorado Highway 119 between Boulder and Longmont. The program will use camera technology in work zones to penalize motorists traveling 10 mph or more over the posted speed limit. With the program now underway, CDOT aims to reduce the number of lives lost and affected due to speeding.

According to CDOT’s fatal crash data, 31 people were killed in work zone crashes in Colorado last year — a nine-year high. Narrow, shifting lanes and high speeds pose a threat to vulnerable roadside workers and travelers in work zones.

However, the same social stigmas that apply to driving drunk or distracted don’t always carry over to speeding. According to the 2025 Colorado Driver Behavior Survey, 71% of drivers in the state admit to speeding on highways.

The fact is: speeding can be just as dangerous.

Speed-related crashes surpassed those caused by impairment and distraction last year, becoming the primary cause of fatalities on Colorado roads.

Considering the danger presented by excessive speeds, CDOT’s new enforcement measures are necessary to save lives – and according to the Federal Highway Administration, are proven to work.

The warning period has already started along CO 119, with civil penalties of $75 expected to begin this fall. We all want to get home safe, so remember to always follow the posted speed limit, especially in work zones. You could save a life.

To learn more about the Colorado Speed Enforcement Program, visit codot.gov/programs/speedenforcement.