Michigan boasts one of the most notorious speed trap hot spots in the country: the area immediately surrounding the Detroit Municipal Wayne County Airport. In fact, three of the top five speed traps in the state, all in the city of Romulus, ring the airport. Also note that the city’s ex-police chief, Michael St. Andre, recently pleaded guilty to charges of embezzlement, misconduct in office and conducting a criminal enterprise. One wonders if the predatory traffic enforcement will subside.
This information comes from the NMA’s National Speed Trap Exchange (http://www.speedtrap.org/), a unique website that gives drivers an opportunity to report on and exchange comments about predatory speed traps they have encountered on their travels.
Five Highest Activity Speed Trap Locations
1. Romulus: Eureka Road between Middlebelt and I-275
205 Reports 99% Acknowledgement Rate*
“Romulus police run radar from the “Cell phone lot” and other locations along the south edge of Metro Airport. People hurrying for planes are prime material.”
2. Romulus: Ecorse Rd. (As you leave the airport)
90 Reports 100% Acknowledgement Rate
“The police wait in an access drive to the airport on the North side of the road and catch you as you enter Ecorse Westbound.”
3. Romulus: I-94 and I-275 Romulus Area
75 Reports 99% Acknowledgement Rate
“Count the entire area near Detroit Metro Airport. The city gets most of its law enforcement funding through tickets. Most of the cars that use LED lights are unmarked.”
4. Dearborn Heights: Outer Drive Service drive towards Van bourne -towards Pelham
71 Reports 100% Acknowledgement Rate
“When driving down Outer drive before you hit the bridge for the freeway you can turn right at that -giants- burger shop and go down an area that is 25 mph and it’s 25 mph for at LEAST 3 minutes before hitting 35 mph. Then 40 mph on Van Bourne going towards Pelham. As soon as you turn right the officer is shooting a constant K Band signal -Radar- before you hit the 35 mph sign so if you are doing 35 BEFORE you hit the speed limit sign he hides on a side street right before it and will nail you.”
5. Allen Park: Both sides of the Southfield Freeway
69 Reports 96% Acknowledgement Rate
“At any given time, there are several Allen Park Police and now Wayne County Sherriff’s Deputies waiting to pounce. The bit of the Southfield Freeway is only a few miles long from the Dearborn border to I-94, but beware! If you try to fight the ticket, they will usually offer the “obstructing traffic” vs the speeding. The “obstructing” is no points on your license but a bigger fine. The whole thing is a cash machine.”
Ten Michigan Cities with Most Reported Speed Traps (for the Last Five Years)
| Rank | City | Number of Speed Traps | Acknowledgement Rate |
| 1 | Livonia | 42 | 99% |
| 2 | Warren | 20 | 98% |
| 3 | Novi | 17 | 95% |
| 4 | Dearborn Heights | 17 | 93% |
| 5 | Grand Rapids | 16 | 90% |
| 6 | Muskegon | 16 | 90% |
| 7 | Sterling Heights | 15 | 89% |
| 8 | Romulus | 15 | 99% |
| 9 | Northville | 14 | 84% |
| 10 | Traverse City | 14 | 86% |
* Acknowledgement rate is the percentage of yes votes to total votes by motorists indicating whether the reported locations, in their opinions, are actually speed traps. Data are available at the links provided.
About The National Speed Trap Exchange
With the development of The National Speed Trap Exchange (http://www.speedtrap.org/) more than 10 years ago, the National Motorists Association pioneered the use of interactive media to alert motorists to potential speed trap activity in their communities. Since then the site has reported on nearly 80,000 speed traps throughout the United States and Canada.
