PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — PennDOT says the construction zone speed cameras deployed a year ago to slow drivers down are doing just that.
PennDOT spokesperson Jennifer Kuntch said the Automated Work Zone Speed Enforcement cameras are having an impact on safety and changing behaviors of drivers.
“This isn’t a gotcha program,” she explained. “We’re not trying to get speeders. We’re not trying to give tickets. We’re trying to slow people down.”
Kuntch said cameras mounted on vehicles are positioned in active construction zones and capture the speed of a driver and the license plate of the vehicle.
“So you see a sign before you ever enter the work zone that there are active cameras in place,” she said, “and then, as you enter the work zone, you’ll see another sign on the unit itself. So you know that’s the camera.”
If someone exceeds the work zone speed limit by 11 miles an hour they risk a penalty. The first time, however, she said there’s no fine.
“It’s just a warning letter,” Kuntch said. “A second violation is a $75 fine. And third and subsequent violations are $150.
“Between March of 2020 and December of 2020, there were 219,265 violations. Of that number, about 12% were fines.”
Kuntch said the data shows most drivers who see the camera vehicle are slowing down. That, she said, is the goal – making it a safer zone for the construction crews.
PennDOT, she reported, has 10 of the speed camera vehicles deployed and seven others are being used along the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
Work zone cams are currently being used on five road construction projects in Philadelphia, Bucks, Delaware and Montgomery counties.
“So they’re there when the workers are there,” Kuntch added, “and leave when the workers leave.”