Dive Temporary:
- In an effort to raised shield highway builders and drivers, Kentucky will place automated speed enforcement cameras in freeway work zones, the state’s Transportation Cupboard introduced Aug. 12.
- The Transportation Cupboard will start putting in velocity cameras this summer time and fall in choose work zones, then proceed to construct this system in coming years to incorporate extra work zones all through the state. Areas with the cameras can have warning indicators and flashing lights to alert drivers.
- In 2024, Kentucky recorded over 1,223 work zone crashes, per the announcement. These resulted in seven fatalities and 298 accidents. Nearly all of these killed had been motorists or passengers.
Dive Perception:
Kentucky had over $1 billion in new contracts for paving, new highway and bridge building and repairs awarded final 12 months, and the state is on tempo to satisfy that mark once more this 12 months, a spokesperson for the Transportation Cupboard advised Building Dive. The cupboard plans to put cameras on 4 jobsites within the coming months.
Rushing drivers in work zones gained’t be ticketed mechanically. As an alternative, a police officer stationed on the finish of the affected space will make visitors stops, issuing tickets in individual primarily based on digicam or detector information. Rushing or visitors violations can carry a $500 tremendous when staff are current.
“Rushing by work zones isn’t simply reckless, it may be lethal,” mentioned Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear within the announcement. “In Kentucky, we imagine that defending our folks is at all times the suitable factor to do, and now now we have a brand new software to assist make that occur.”
About three in 5 contractors have skilled no less than one vehicle crash in a roadway workzone within the final 12 months, in accordance with a survey of Related Basic Contractors of America members, performed in partnership with building software program agency HCSS. Almost a 3rd of these surveyed counted 5 or extra crashes.
Contractors imagine extra might be carried out to guard staff and motorists, too. Almost 40% of these surveyed mentioned penalties for rushing in work zones are ample, however enforcement isn’t. The highest strategies respondents believed may enhance security embody higher police presence and stricter enforcement on present work zone legal guidelines.
However Kentucky isn’t the one state doing one thing.
Starting early this 12 months, Washington mentioned it will mount work zone speed cameras on trailers on energetic work zones all through the state. Like Kentucky, the affected work zones would have indicators telling drivers concerning the cameras and the posted velocity restrict. Rushing may lead to a tremendous for drivers.
In New York, an automatic work zone velocity enforcement pilot program was signed into regulation by Gov. Kathy Hochul in September 2021. Earlier this 12 months, the program was extended to 2031 and expanded to double the variety of eligible work zones.
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