A district judge has upheld an order from the Iowa Department of Transportation to remove speed cameras on Interstate 380 in Cedar Rapids.

Cedar Rapids filed a lawsuit along with other cities in Iowa challenging new rules the Iowa DOT put in place in 2014. Those rules limit where traffic cameras can be placed on state-maintained highways.

The judge ruled the Iowa DOT's authority to manage and control safety on Iowa's state-run highways outweighs the cities' home rule, which lets cities enact their own ordinances.

"Based on state law providing the IDOT with the authority to regulate safety on primary highways, the Iowa legislature has provided the IDOT with the authority to regulate (traffic cameras) placed on primary highways," the ruling reads. "The IDOT has the power to apply safety regulations to ATE use on primary highways, which does not interfere with municipal police officers’ ability to enforce speed regulations."

The rules would force Cedar Rapids to remove two sets of cameras on Interstate 380 heading out of downtown. The rules also require cameras be at least 1,000 feet from a speed limit change, which would mean the two sets heading into downtown Cedar Rapids on 380 would need to move closer to downtown. It would also affect the camera on First Avenue East at the intersection of 10th Street.

Cedar Rapids and other cities argued it should not have to comply with the DOT rules, which were put in place after its cameras were installed.

The cities had also argued that the Iowa DOT's reasoning that its rules promoted safety did not make sense and should be rejected. Cedar Rapids points to fewer crashes on I-380 in the areas where the cameras are helping enforce speed limits.

However, the judge sided with the DOT, which argued out-of-state drivers unfamiliar with the cameras may brake quickly and create dangerous situations. The judge also noted the safety on the S-curve in Cedar Rapids could still be achieved with moving the cameras away from the speed zone change.

The city would be able to appeal the ruling if it chooses.

Cedar Rapids has continued to collect fines imposed from those cameras while it argued the case. it is unclear what implications this ruling would have on that funding.

The cameras on Interstate 380 are the most profitable for the city of Cedar Rapids, bringing in the majority of the roughly $3 million in revenue the cameras generate for the police department each year. The city had removed the bulk of that money from its budget plans.