In Michigan, automated speed enforcement in work zones is a step closer to becoming a reality after the state Senate approved a package of bills designed to improve road safety. Following Senate approval, the legislation must now pass a final vote in the House before potentially being signed into law by Governor Gretchen Whitmer. The push for these measures was influenced heavily by the tragic accident of a road worker struck and killed on I-75 in Detroit, as reported by
CBS News Detroit
. The automated speed cameras, which would issue fines to speeders, respond to data showing the high rate of crashes in construction zones—a statistic highlighted by the same report, which notes over 8,000 such incidents in 2023.
Under the proposed legislation, MDOT would be granted authority to install automated speed enforcement systems with the requirement that signs be posted warning drivers of their presence. Fines for speeding in these areas would follow a tiered system—starting with a written warning, escalating to a $150 ticket, and reaching $300 for repeat offenses within three years. Understandably, there’s concern among some Michigan residents about the possible increase in ticketing, as detailed by the
Detroit News
.
In agreement with MDOT on the necessity of such measures, the Michigan Infrastructure & Transportation Association has come out in strong support. Rob Coppersmith, executive vice president of MITA, emphasized the heightened danger zones these construction sites represent, echoing the sentiment in a statement cited by
The Detroit News
. The same article also relayed statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration showing a fluctuating but persistent number of fatalities in such zones over the past five years. The precedent in Maryland, where speed cameras reportedly halved the yearly fatality rate in work zones, was cited by State Rep. Will Snyder be a justification for the new measures?
Michigan stands at a crossroads, confronted with the harsh realities of highway safety and the trade-offs of technological solutions. As the bills pass through the legislative process, the eyes of residents and lawmakers alike turn to Governor Whitmer, who ultimately holds the signing power to shift Michigan’s road safety policies in a decidedly more automated direction.
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