Ellsworth, Kansas Speed Traps

20mph speed drop only a block long. 400 Douglas to 505 Douglas. It’s a School zone sign, only valid 7:00am -4:30pm on weekdays. I was ticketed at 19:12 on a Saturday night. Both KS plated cars directly in front of me not stopped. Only my car which is plated in CO. Knowing it would be several hundred miles to fight it in court. Definitely a case of police injustice.

The highway department workers were located at one end of the construction zone, within the first 2 miles of the zone. We drove 6 more miles and not one person or piece of construction equipment was in sight, not one. Not paying attention, our speed had slipped up to 71 mph in the group of 5 cars we were following on this bright, sunny day in light traffic. A highway patrol officer was at the exit end and pulled two of us over. This was not the norm elsewhere across I-70 clear to Nevada where construction zones were put up, if workers were not in sight the prevailing speed increased and no officers were sitting at the end to pull you over. Consider this a Highway Tax Zone in Kansas. Of course we are all about keeping the highway road workers safe, this was carelessness on our part but no life was in danger.

Don’t go into Ellsworth if you are just passing through. Speed Changes from 55 to 30 MPH going into Ellsworth city. Trap is 1/2 mile on right before city limits just over the hill. If you are just passing through take the bypass 140 East to 156 South which allows you to stay at 45 MPH and keeps you going with a ticket.

I’d heard the horror stories of the county & couldn’t believe it till I had my own. People getting stopped for 66 mph in a 65 zone. I was stopped for 73 in a pickup I’d had bought 2 days before & didn’t have my ins card with me. I was hauled in & pickup impounded. Provided ins card that night & still had to go to court for it. I avoid the county at all costs.

15 mile stretch between Ellsworth and I-70, several curves