Narrow lanes. Blocked off shoulders. Constantly changing traffic patterns.
Construction along I-95 in Wilmington can make driving through the area treacherous. The work zone recorded 423 crashes last year, a 49% increase from 2019, according to the Delaware Department of Transportation.
To reduce the frequency of accidents, the Delaware Department of Transportation announced it will begin enforcing a new electronic speed monitoring program in the I-95 construction zone on Monday, Jan. 17. It is the first of its kind in the state.
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The program will involve two cameras, each facing a different direction of traffic. They operate similarly to the red-light cameras already in use statewide, DelDOT spokesman C.R. McLeod said. The devices use radar to determine whether a car is speeding and, if so, take a picture of the license plate.
Drivers caught by the camera will receive a fine in the mail within 30 days, DelDOT said. These penalties are civil violations, meaning points will not be added to driver’s licenses and insurance companies will not be notified.
The amount of the penalty depends on the speed, according to McLeod. All drivers caught driving too quickly will be fined at least $20, with an additional dollar added for each mile above the 45 miles per hour speed limit.
These fines should “serve as a deterrent to bring those traffic speeds down,” McLeod said. And because the monitors will be moved periodically throughout the area, it will be difficult for speeding drivers to avoid getting caught.
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All traffic citations captured by the cameras will be reviewed by Delaware State Police. By assisting with this effort, Col. Melissa Zebley of the Delaware State Police said in a statement that she believes they “will encourage motorists to slow down for the sake of the highway workers and their fellow motorists alike.”
The first 30 days of the program will be a warning period, DelDOT said. During that time, drivers caught speeding will receive a notice without a fine in the mail. The same will be true for drivers on their first violation after the period ends.
Following the model of states like Pennsylvania and Maryland, drivers going within 13 miles per hour of the speed limit will not be penalized. Money from violations will be used to fund the operation of the cameras, which costs about $36,000 every month, McLeod said. Leftover funds will go toward other safety measures.
The Delaware General Assembly approved the use of electronic speed monitoring in the construction zone after other methods of speed deterrence – like increased signage and striping on the road – failed. Traditional traffic enforcement by police officers also wasn’t feasible, McLeod said, as there are limited access points to the highway.
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Narrow lanes also posed a problem for police vehicles, but will not affect the electronic speed monitors, which McLeod described as about the size of large trashcans.
The new monitoring system will remain in effect until the completion of the Restore the Corridor construction on I-95, which is estimated to be in another year. During that time, the pilot program will hopefully serve as “a good first introduction” to new methods of speed enforcement, McLeod said. If the pilot program works, DelDOT plans to advocate for similar programs in construction zones across the state.
More information on the electronic speed monitoring system and updates on construction are available at restorethecorridor.com.
Send story tips or ideas to Hannah Edelman at hedelman@delawareonline.com. For more reporting, follow them on Twitter at @h_edelman.
