Mendota Heights Police Chief Kelly McCarthy hears over and over that residents want officers to crack down on speeders.
“We have over 60 identified areas where residents have expressed concern and where officers are mandated to do extra enforcement,” McCarthy said.
The city now has a camera to help with that, at least in the 500 block of eastbound Marie Avenue.
Last week, the southern suburb of St. Paul deployed the first camera in the state to ticket lead-footed drivers. The camera snaps a picture of the rear license plate of any vehicle detected going more than 10 mph over the speed limit.
During August, lawbreaking drivers will receive only a warning in the mail. After that, warnings will be sent for a driver’s first offense. A citation carrying a $40 fine or the option to attend a traffic safety course will be mailed for additional offenses. Fines double to $80 for drivers caught going 20 mph or more over the speed limit.
The speed limit on that portion of Marie is 30 mph, but the daily users of the road routinely exceed that. From 2018 through July 2025, officers have conducted 532 speed enforcement operations on Marie, dedicating 266 hours and issuing 218 citations, according to the city.
Over the years, the city has tried interventions. The road was restriped with fog lines and travel lanes were narrowed to 11 feet wide. Generally, lanes are 12 feet wide.
Mendota Heights also has installed bump outs to reduce pedestrian crossing distances and slow drivers down, added a pedestrian-activated crossing light and put in three radar signs that flash how fast motorists are driving.