The fine for speeding in Maryland work zones has doubled. How many people get caught?

Thousands of drivers are being stopped for speeding in Maryland work zones closest to the Washington DC area – and fines for violators just doubled under a new law that took effect earlier this month .

WTOP obtained Maryland speeding ticket data through a Freedom of Information Act request.

In the broader Washington DC area, the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) has deployed speed cameras in work zones on:

• Route 100 westbound on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway in Hanover.
• Route 100 eastbound on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway in Hanover.
• Route 29 northbound at Broken Land Parkway in Columbia.
• I-95 southbound at Guilford Road in Columbia.

Since Aug. 7, 2023, the westbound Route 100 camera has issued 17,058 citations, according to state data as of June 7. The eastbound Route 100 camera began issuing citations on Dec. 4, and last week issued 4,131.

The Route 29 camera has issued 7,772 citations since the end of January, according to state data.

Last week, the group’s new camera, located at I-95 and Guilford Road, issued 426 tickets since April 29.

As they ticket thousands of drivers, state leaders say the goal of the program is to keep work zones safe.

“This is not a tool to issue citations,” Teri Soos, Maryland SHA deputy director of operations, told OMCT. “That’s not what we’re looking for. We seek conformity.

In total, under the contract between the State and its supplier, the agency has 10 cameras and can deploy them on around twenty sites, because they operate in eight-hour shifts.

The state has used automatic speed cameras in work zones since 2009. They are often placed on roads with speed limits of at least 45 mph that may be narrower or where lane configurations are confusing. They could also be placed in areas where there is a multi-year project and special concern for worker safety.

The agency has installed photo enforcement signs and a speed measuring device, which tells drivers their speed before arriving at the part of the work zone where the camera is located. Currently, there is a 12 mph buffer zone before a camera issues a ticket.

“We want people to slow down for their own safety in work zones, as well as the safety of workers on the roadways,” Soos said.

Fines doubled from June 1

Earlier this year, Governor Wes Moore signed the Maryland Highway Worker Protection Act. This changed the fine for a speed camera in a work zone from $40, which Soos said is among the lowest in the country, to $80, effective June 1. In January, fines will be determined based on a tiered system that takes into account how much above the speed limit a driver is going. These fines will also double in the presence of workers.

Revenue from speed camera tickets funds the program, Soos said. Part of that goes to the Maryland State Police, and under the new law, part will be allocated to the transportation trust fund to be used for safety projects.

As part of the changes, the State Highway Administration will also install blue lights on cameras and use flashing lights when workers are on site.

“Once people get used to the work zone location, signage and camera placement, we tend to see good compliance rates, about 99 percent,” Soos said .

In addition to cameras, the agency also uses troopers in work zones. This serves as an extra warning to drivers to slow down, and law enforcement is “a better tool for us,” Soos said. However, the police have limited resources and their presence is therefore not always constant.

“Our goal is to increase compliance,” Soos said. “We want drivers to be safe in our work zone. »

Last year, 12 people died in accidents in construction zones. So far this year, there have been eight, according to a news release from the agency. In many cases, Soos said, work zone accidents more often result in injury or even death to drivers and passengers than to workers.

“About 20 percent of the time it’s a worker on the side of the road,” Soos said.

The current legislation is one of the recommendations of the Maryland Work Zone Safety Work Group. Moore brought the group together following the March 2023 work zone crash that killed six highway workers on the Baltimore Beltway.