Colorado Deploys Average-Speed Cameras, Rendering Waze Alerts Useless

New AVIS technology calculates average speed between points, making traditional speed trap warnings ineffective.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 6:22pm

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A highly detailed, glowing 3D illustration of a pair of futuristic-looking speed cameras mounted on highway infrastructure, with neon cyan and magenta lights illuminating the cameras and surrounding environment. The image conceptually represents the advanced technology behind Colorado's new average-speed enforcement system.Colorado's new average-speed cameras use advanced technology to catch speeders, rendering traditional navigation app alerts ineffective.Longmont Today

Colorado has rolled out a new system of Automated Vehicle Identification System (AVIS) speed cameras that calculate average speed between two points, rather than just detecting instant speed. This renders traditional speed trap warnings from apps like Waze ineffective, as slowing down at the camera location won't save drivers from fines if their average speed was over the limit.

Why it matters

The new AVIS cameras represent a significant technological advancement in traffic enforcement, making it harder for drivers to avoid speeding tickets. This could have major implications for how people use navigation apps and adjust their driving behavior, especially in high-risk areas like construction zones where worker safety is a concern.

The details

The AVIS cameras work by photographing license plates at two separate points along a highway stretch, then calculating the average speed between those points using timestamps. This is different from traditional radar guns that Waze crowdsources in real-time. Slowing down at the camera location won't help, as the system has already captured your plate upstream and will photograph it again downstream to determine if you averaged 10+ mph over the limit.

  • The first AVIS corridor was activated on Highway 119's Diagonal section between Boulder and Longmont in July 2025, with $75 fines starting later this year.
  • The I-25 stretch south of Fort Collins through Mead and Berthoud will get AVIS cameras starting in March 2026, targeting the express lanes construction zone.
  • CDOT plans to deploy AVIS in school zones and other high-risk areas across Colorado in spring 2026, following the model used by Denver, Boulder, and other Front Range cities.

The players

Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT)

The state transportation agency that is overseeing the deployment of the new AVIS speed camera system across Colorado highways and construction zones.

Waze

A popular navigation app that crowdsources real-time speed trap information, which is now rendered ineffective by Colorado's new average-speed camera technology.

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What’s next

CDOT plans to continue expanding the AVIS camera system to additional high-risk areas across Colorado in the coming years, following the model already used by Denver, Boulder, and other Front Range cities.

The takeaway

Colorado's new AVIS speed cameras represent a significant technological advancement in traffic enforcement, making it harder for drivers to avoid speeding tickets by relying on traditional speed trap warnings from navigation apps. This could have major implications for how people use technology to manage their driving behavior, especially in high-risk areas like construction zones.