While it might not have levied any hefty fines, the work zone safety pilot program that used speed-enforcement cameras cited drivers for going over the speed limit was a success and should be continued, according to state officials.
Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto said that the department wants to expand the pilot program that was put into place in 2021, which implemented safety measures like speed cameras and dynamic traffic signs in work zones on state roads.
The limited pilot program was approved by the legislature in 2021 and implemented in April 2023, when the DOT began utilizing SUVs equipped with cameras capable of photographing vehicles passing through certain highway work zones at more than 15 mph over the speed limit.
Under the pilot program, drivers were issued a warning if they were detected traveling 15 mph or more above the posted speeding limit, with a second violation resulting in a fine of $75, and any further violations being met with a fine of $150. A total of 724 tickets were given out during the course of the program.
The speed safety systems were located in work zones on limited access highways where the speed limit exceeded 45 mph, and units in no more than three locations were to be active at one time.
The limited pilot program lasted for a year and was approved by the legislature as part of a traffic safety law passed in 2021. The program represents the first time Connecticut has taken a step toward embracing enforcement cameras, a subject that has historically failed to gain traction among lawmakers in part due to privacy concerns and worries that the cameras would have a disproportionate impact on residents in urban communities.
Eucalitto said that because of the success of the program, it should be made permanent. If that were to happen, the department would select a vendor through which they would implement the program on a wider scale. He referenced Maryland and Pennsylvania as states that are implementing similar programs to the one that the Connecticut DOT hopes to put in place.
According to the DOT, Maryland reported an 80% decrease in work zone crashes after implementing a speed-safety program. Pennsylvania reported a decrease of 19%.
The legislative report of the pilot studied the impact of these safety measures at five locations and described a marked difference between the average speed of vehicles before and during the pilot program.
According to the report, in two locations on I-95, speeding was reduced by an average of 17% and 18%. The program ended at the conclusion of the last construction season.
Carl Chisem, president of Connecticut Employees Union Independent, said Monday that he is hopeful the bill will be passed and that for him and his union it’s all about protecting the workers.
“At the end of the day, I just want to see my members be able to come home, you know, and get protected,” Chisem said.
Chisem, whose union is comprised of roughly 1,500 DOT workers, said that he hopes to see the program expand across the state and protect more workers and drivers.
Both Eucalitto and Chisem shared the sentiment that the goal of the program is not to get one over on motorists.
Signage indicating that a work zone with speed cameras is ahead, Eucalitto said, is more effective in getting drivers to slow down.
“If the project gets depleted, and there’s no more money, that means it’s doing its job,” Chisem said.
