Legislation pushed by MITA that allows speed camera enforcement within work zones passed the Senate Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. After several years of increased fatalities within work zones, MITA and MDOT formed the Work Zone Safety Taskforce, focusing on protecting our workers on job sites. Of the many recommendations from that group, allowing speed camera enforcement within work zones became one of the biggest priorities. For good reason, in 2023, over 7,200 crashes and twenty fatalities were reported in Michigan work zones!
Twenty-three states across the U.S. allow for the use of speed camera enforcement within work zones. Implementing automated enforcement systems in work zones has been a successful strategy in those states that utilize this technology. For example, Maryland reports that the implementation of automated enforcement in work zones resulted in an 80% reduction in speeding violations, and fatalities dropped by half in the first three years of the program’s inception.
The legislation, which includes House Bills 4132 and 4133, introduced by Representatives Will Snyder and Mike Mueller, now moves to the full Senate, and with good support in Committee, we anticipate the measures will pass the full Senate and then head to the Governor’s desk for her signature.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Rob Coppersmith, Executive Vice President, at robcoppersmith@thinkmita.org or Lance Binoniemi, Vice President of Government Affairs, at lancebinoniemi@thinkmita.org.
