Two years of Loop 101 camera flashes has led to more than 200,000 speeding citations and a $2 million profit for Scottsdale.

GRAPHIC: Loop 101 photo enforcement tickets

Drivers have been nabbed at a steady rate since the program - the first in the country to use fixed-speed cameras along a freeway - started issuing tickets along an 8-mile stretch of freeway in February 2006.

What began as a pilot program has repeatedly been extended. And its results have been cited as the reason for a statewide plan currently under review that could install fixed cameras and mobile vans at up to 170 freeway and rural road locations.

The six cameras between Shea Boulevard and Scottsdale Road flash whenever a motorist hits at least 76 mph, or 11 mph above the posted speed limit.

In two years, including a four-month stretch when the cameras were dark, 430,000 speeding detections have been recorded, with about 47 percent translating into 203,191 citations, according to figures through February provided by Scottsdale and the Department of Public Safety.

Speeding violations that do not result in citations typically occur because the driver cannot be identified or does not match the car's registration.

"It is a lot, but I think a lot of people do speed," said Julia Reeve of Scottsdale, who travels the Loop 101 regularly. "The numbers don't lie."

While photo enforcement vendors and government agencies have stressed the program is about safety and not money, it has brought in revenue to both the city and the state.

The freeway program has collected $5.4 million in state surcharges, $2 million for the city's general fund and nearly $1 million more for Scottsdale's court enhancement fund, according to city figures through February.

"Money, money that's all it is," Brad Slade of Scottsdale said of the cameras.

Slade did add that he finds it easier to merge on and off the freeway.

The program first started citing drivers on Feb. 22, 2006, following a one-month warning phase. The pilot program continued through Oct. 23, 2006. The cameras went dark, but Scottsdale kept recording drivers' speeds, which dramatically increased without the cameras.

In January 2007, an Arizona State University professor's study of a portion of the pilot program showed the program reduced speeds by an average of 10 mph, reduced the total number of accidents - although rear-end collisions did rise - and the severity of accidents.

Shortly thereafter, Gov. Janet Napolitano requested the cameras be turned back on.

They have been operating continually since Feb. 22, 2007, with some downtime in July as Redflex Traffic Systems removed its equipment and American Traffic Solutions, which had recently won the new city contract, installed its own cameras and speed sensors. Both are vying for the lucrative state contract.

The cameras continue to flash but are expected to be shut down as early as April when construction begins on the next segment of the Loop 101 carpool project.

On March 10, three photo enforcement companies submitted proposals for the statewide contract that would place cameras at up to 170 locations.

The plan is to use a combination of red-light intersection cameras at up to 30 intersections, fixed-speed cameras in 90 locations, 40 mobile speed vans and 10 mobile red-light vans.

Nestor Traffic Systems of Providence, R.I., joined ATS and Redflex in submitting proposals.

DPS spokesman Bart Graves said the agency has up to 120 days from the due date to award the contract.

He did not know when that might occur.