(INDIANAPOLIS) – A proposal to allow camera-generated speeding tickets in work zones is stalled in committee, but INDOT plans to roll out other new safety measures in work zones next year.
Governor Holcomb’s has told the highway department to work with State Police on a list of options for getting people to slow down in work zones. When he announced his agenda last month in Terre Haute, Holcomb emphasized the potential to use technology to keep work zones safer, with cameras a specific example. But Terre Haute Republican Jon Ford’s camera bill didn’t appear to have the votes to get out of committee this week, and while the proposal will have one last opportunity next week, Holcomb says he hasn’t endorsed that specific idea. He says it’s just one possibility, along with broader use of electronic signs to warn drivers of work zones ahead. And Holcomb says INDOT will also look at lower-tech options like additional police patrols, trailers to alert drivers to upcoming work zones, or using contract terms with builders to minimize the disruptions to traffic flow.
Holcomb is putting his weight behind a bill to make Indiana the 22nd state to ban the use of electronic devices behind the wheel. He says it’s a critical safety measure that needs to pass this year, and says he’s “cautiously optimistic” after a unanimous endorsement from a House committee.
