New York is cracking down on work zone violations. Here's what to know
Road work season is in full swing. Orange hard hats, traffic cones and detour signs will be seen throughout the area as repairs take place on major highways and local streets.
State officials are urging motorists to exercise caution as they navigate work zones.
In 2024, New York State reported 322 Department of Transportation work zone intrusions which resulted in two driver fatalities and 138 injuries. The NYSDOT has also reported about 86 incidents since 2022 with claims of assaults and harassment against highway workers.
In Tioga County, Dennis "Matt" Howe was killed in 2019 when the DOT vehicle he was in was struck by a tractor-trailer in a work zone on state Route 17.
Department of Transportation workers, New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said at an April 24 press conference in Endicott, 'are out doing a very dangerous job on our behalf, on the public's behalf to make sure our roads, our bridges, all of our infrastructure stay safe and in turn they deserve our respect. They deserve our gratitude and they deserve to be home every night with their loved ones.'
In a news release, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul called on drivers to reduce their speed in work zones, eliminate distractions and stay vigilant.
Here are the steps the state has taken to increase work zone safety.
More: Why are people protesting in Binghamton on Thursday?
New York's Move Over law was expanded in 2024 to include all disabled and stopped vehicles along the highway. Previous versions of the legislation granted protections to law enforcement officers, emergency workers, tow and service vehicle operators and other maintenance workers stopped along roadways while performing their duties. All drivers are required to switch lanes when they encounter such vehicles or, if a lane change is not possible, to slow down to a reasonable speed.
A 2023 Automated Work Zone Speed Enforcement program in New York used radar and photos to enforce reduced speed limits. Since its implementation, Dominguez said, there have been no work zone injuries in the areas where the program's cameras are in place.
"The data is in and the program works," she said. "People slow down when there's camera enforcement in the work zone."
Over 425,000 notices of liability have been issued throughout the state, indicating drivers who violated the reduced speed limit, with about 38,000 repeat offenders. All of the money collected from the fines goes back into the program.
On April 21, a Traffic Incident Management Unit was in Kirkwood along Interstate 81 where bridge work was being conducted over Loughlin Road, to crack down on work zone violations as part of New York's Operation Hard Hat.
In four hours, New York State Troopers issued 69 tickets. Despite caution signs for reduced speed and flagging the construction zone, 52 motorists were ticketed for speeding, 11 for using their cell phone and one for failing to move over.
Fines are doubled for all speeding tickets issued in a work zone. If a motorist has two work zone speeding violations or more, it can result in a suspension of their driver's license.
Kalyn Grant reports on public service issues for the Press & Sun-Bulletin, focusing on schools and community impact. Have a story to share? Follow her on Instagram @KalynCarmen and on Facebook under Kalyn Kearney. Get in touch at kcgrant@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: New York is cracking down on work zone violations. What to know
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