New York's Speed Camera Experiment in Work Zones May Become Permanent | Carscoops

      No injuries or fatalities among workers have been documented in areas monitored by cameras during the initial two years of the five-year trial program.

      New York transportation officials aim to make a speed camera trial in work zones a permanent measure in the state.

      The New York State Thruway Authority and the Department of Transportation assert that the pilot program has been effective in saving the lives of workers.

      Under proposed legislation backed by the DOT, assaulting highway workers could be classified as a felony.

      The speed camera trial in New York has received praise for its potential to save lives while facing criticism from frustrated drivers who have collectively incurred millions in fines. Due to its success, state officials are advocating for it to become a permanent program.

      Both the New York State Thruway Authority and the Department of Transportation are requesting lawmakers to include the Automatic Work Zone Speed Enforcement Pilot Program in the state budget, which will be finalized by April 1.

      The initiative was enacted in 2021, a year that saw 50 drivers or highway workers injured by vehicles entering closed sections of the road. The trial is set for five years and commenced in April 2023 with the deployment of 30 work zone speed cameras.

      Despite the program having run for only two of the five intended years, transport officials believe there is already sufficient evidence of its positive impact to warrant making it permanent.

      “In the nearly two years since this program was initiated, we have observed a change in driver behavior,” Frank Hoare, Executive Director of the New York Thruway Authority, shared with WSYR. “The data backs this up. We have seen people reduce their speed, and a key aspect of this program allocates the fines collected from violations to safety initiatives.”

      Work zone speed violations do not result in points on driving licenses. However, a first-time speeding offense incurs a $50 fine, while a second offense within 18 months raises this to $75, and three or more violations in that timeframe result in a $100 fine per infraction. Since the pilot program's inception, approximately $11.7 million has reportedly been collected.

      In addition to reducing vehicle speeds, New York officials are also advocating for legislation that would classify assaults on workers as a class D felony, which could lead to jail sentences of up to seven years.

      “People are actually exiting their vehicles and physically attacking our highway maintenance workers, whether it be hitting, kicking, throwing hot coffee, or verbally abusing them,” stated Marie Therese Dominguez, Commissioner of the New York State Department of Transportation, to the media outlet.