INDIANAPOLIS — The new year will bring new technology to a busy construction zone on the northeast side of Indianapolis.
The INDOT SafeZones project is a pilot program introducing speed cameras to construction zones. It was first rolled out in Hancock County and now will be coming to the Clear Path 465 project at the I-465 and I-69 interchange.
“The data shows that this is going to be, so far, a very successful pilot program,” said Kyleigh Cranmer with INDOT. “But, also shows it is doing the number one job of reducing speeds.”
Longtime construction workers Tony Moore and John Alsup said they know that all too well.
“Just a lot of people not paying attention, distracted, driving fast,” said Moore.
They said it’s more than likely every worker in an active construction zone has had more than a few close calls.
“When you’re speeding in a construction zone, it just amplifies the opportunity to possibly hit somebody,” Alsup said.
The INDOT SafeZones project monitors certain areas of a construction zone, clocking drivers as they go past. If the technology catches a driver going 11 MPH or more above the posted speed limit, the instance will be verified and then that driver could get a warning or even fine sent to their house.
The speed cameras will be set up at the Clear Path project on January 1, but the at least first 30 days will just be warnings sent to people who go over the 10 mph limit. Once the enforcement period begins, fines will start being sent out with your first violation just being a warning.
“Your second offense is going to be a $75 ticket and then after that is going to be $150,” Cramer said.
The money collected will go into the Indiana General Fund.
In Hancock County, early data shows cars going at those enforceable speeds dropped significantly when cameras and signs were present, compared to speed data taken before the SafeZones program was rolled out.
“We’re not only doing this for our workers, but for the motoring public,” Cramer said. “Four of five people who are killed in work zones are the driver or passenger.”
Moore and Alsup said they’re hoping this is a safety tool that can help save their coworkers’ lives.
In 2014, two of their coworkers, Coty DeMoss and Kenneth Duerson Jr., were hit and killed on this same stretch of I-69 that is about to get the SafeZone program.
“People hear the stories on the news and media, and a lot of people take that to heart,” Moore said. “But that’s today, and then tomorrow they put it behind them and everything goes back the same way.”
Alsup said he knows construction can be difficult for drivers, but they’re doing their jobs and want to be safe while they’re at work.
“Even though it is tough for people to get through this area,” he said. “We’re trying to make it better and hopefully they do see that and they do slow down. Or you’re going to keep seeing on the news fatalities and other things happening in construction zones.”
INDOT is allowed to have these cameras in up to four construction zones at any given time, so expect to see more of these across the state as the program expands.
The most recent data in the SafeZones pilot program can be found in INDOT’s annual report released in November.
