Smile.....

[PrinzII]

Taken from the Chicago Sun-Times Website: http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/...orkzone31.html


Cameras to bust speeders

March 31, 2004

BY SHAMUS TOOMEY Transportation Reporter

Radar-activated cameras would shoot photos of cars speeding through tollway work zones under a proposal from Gov. Blagojevich that also would hike fines for the speeders to as high as $1,000.

Four other states now use the cop-in-a-box technology to catch and ticket speeders, but Illinois would be the first to target highway work zones.

Forty-four people, including five road workers, were killed in Illinois work zones last year, state officials said. Two other highway workers were killed by drivers away from work zones in 2003, making it the deadliest construction season in at least five years.

The deaths launched a state task force and spurred Tuesday's proposals, which need to be approved by the General Assembly to take effect.

As part of the effort, the state on Tuesday unveiled a new "Keep Us Alive Drive 45" safety campaign, which uses bright orange ribbons to honor dead workers and remind people to watch out for the current workers.

"Before you get into your vehicle . . . think about the lives of others, the children who are left behind by reckless drivers, the husbands, the wives," said Anna Johnson. Her older sister, highway worker Tina Ball, was killed by an accused drunken driver last September in an Interstate 57 work zone.

"It just takes one split second to take the life of a hard-working person," Johnson said.

The governor's proposal would launch a pilot program to try out the speed-tracking cameras. Drivers going faster than 45 mph through construction zones when workers are present could activate a camera that photographs the car and license plate.

Similar to Chicago's system of catching red light runners on camera, the state would then mail a ticket to the car's owner. It would not be a moving violation but would carry a fine.

The governor moved to hike those fines Tuesday. Speeding through a work zone currently costs $200 for a first offense and $350 for subsequent tickets.

The new proposal would make the first offense a $500 ticket. Subsequent tickets would shoot to $1,000 apiece -- including $250 to fund more state troopers who would patrol the roads.

"Anybody who doesn't take these laws seriously will understand there are consequences from now on," Transportation Secretary Tim Martin said.

Several work zone changes don't need legislative approval and will take effect soon. They include:

*Placing plainclothes troopers with radar guns in construction vehicles to radio descriptions of speeding cars to troopers ahead.

*Spending $40,000 in grant money on 20 electronic flaggers that tell drivers to slow or stop. Each machine needs a worker to run it but allows the worker to stand several feet from the road.

*Installing large road signs that read "Hit a Worker, $10,000 fine, 14 yrs in jail." Last year's strategy of using children's names and handwriting on warning signs "evidently wasn't enough," said Martin.

[Brad B.]

Man, that's serious.

[Mr. Clean 2K]

People do fly though with workers present. It would stink, but wake up a lot of people.

[thinksnow]

It appears that a "certain" governor has done a poor job and run out of other ways to tax folks.

This is ALWAYS such a dangerous idea. Around DC and Boston, there are areas of highway where 80-90 mph are the norm. Then, you enter a "contruction area" with concrete barriers but never any workers. This section of road is marked 35-45 mph with "increased fines." Locals know the enforcement is bs but passers-by do not. Thus, you have people slamming on their brakes and swerving all over the road. The camera thing is a nice idea on paper, but it can easily be fought in court as there is no way to ensure the driver's identity.

[rjstaaf]

Originally posted by thinksnow
It appears that a "certain" governor has done a poor job and run out of other ways to tax folks.

This is ALWAYS such a dangerous idea. Around DC and Boston, there are areas of highway where 80-90 mph are the norm. Then, you enter a "contruction area" with concrete barriers but never any workers. This section of road is marked 35-45 mph with "increased fines." Locals know the enforcement is bs but passers-by do not. Thus, you have people slamming on their brakes and swerving all over the road. The camera thing is a nice idea on paper, but it can easily be fought in court as there is no way to ensure the driver's identity.

Yeah we certainly wouldn't want to inconvenience the people already going well above the speed limit now would we.

Sad to say but, this kind of attitude appears to be all too common. As far as I am concerned people speeding through construction zones need to have their license suspended in addition to a hefty fine.

I have one brother in construction and lost the other to an automobile accident. Driving is not a right, if you don't have any respect for others on the road you have no business being there.

[thinksnow]

If you are a 55 driver in the 65 zone when traffic is flowing at 70-75, then it would be impossible for you to understand the dynamics. The point is not one of inconvenience, but rather one of safety. Marking construction zones at absurdly low speeds (35 mph because of concrete barriers) and then using scare tactics to frighten SOME people down to that speed is entirely unnecessary.

Originally posted by rjstaaf
Yeah we certainly wouldn't want to inconvenience the people already going well above the speed limit now would we.

[Iconoclast]

Originally posted by PrinzII

Last year's strategy of using children's names and handwriting on warning signs "evidently wasn't enough," said Martin.

I hate those signs. You know the ones with some backwards letters (in what I like to call dyslexic font) that say "slow down my mommy works here". Are we to believe that all construction workers children are dyslexic?

Like thinksnow said many times "construction" zones are just overpriced speed traps. Some discretion should be used in lowering speed limits and doubling fines in work zones. For example, many long term work zones on our turnpike use JERSEY BARRIERS with workers no where near the road. How am I going to hit a worker through a friggin jersey barrier? These are usually the ones with the speed traps too.

On the other hand sometimes there are workers inches from the road with only a few cones around them. These are the times when speed should be monitored. BUT with a visible cop car with lights flashing; NOT an unmarked car out of view with a radar gun or worse yet those automated camera speed traps. Which do you think is more effective at reducing accident risk?

[rjstaaf]

Originally posted by thinksnow
If you are a 55 driver in the 65 zone when traffic is flowing at 70-75, then it would be impossible for you to understand the dynamics. The point is not one of inconvenience, but rather one of safety. Marking construction zones at absurdly low speeds (35 mph because of concrete barriers) and then using scare tactics to frighten SOME people down to that speed is entirely unnecessary.

That is contadictory to your previous post. You stated slowing down for a construction zone was hazardous for people doing 80-90 which is well above any posted speed limit in this country.

Don't assume I am on the opposite spectrum. I drive the limit and if the situation warrants it at most 5 over.

Sure slowing down from 90 to 35 is not safe but, there is absolutely no reason for anyone to be doing 90 on the highway. Just because that is the flow doesn't make it right.

I don't know about your state but, every state I have lived in and driven through gives plenty of warning of a construction site coming up.

[thinksnow]

Sad to say but, this kind of attitude appears to be all too common. As far as I am concerned people speeding through construction zones need to have their license suspended in addition to a hefty fine.

In Newport News, VA, a section of I-64 has been under construction since 1991 (no, don't get me started on small-town corruption). It is 5 lanes wide with concrete barriers on the median side. There are NEVER construction workers anywhere near the work to be done. This is marked as a construction zone with increased fines. 1991-2004=13 years of incompetence.

I'm sorry for your loss of your brother, but it is, indeed, more dangerous with the hidden tactics. As Iconoclast noted, if safety was the goal instead of fund-raising, a well-marked patroller with lights blazing would slow drivers down and weed out excessively dangerous drivers.

[rjstaaf]

Originally posted by thinksnow
As Iconoclast noted, if safety was the goal instead of fund-raising, a well-marked patroller with lights blazing would slow drivers down and weed out excessively dangerous drivers.

If they did that the roads would probably be pretty empty. 42,850 people died on US roads last year. The highest number in 12 years. Is getting there just a few minutes faster worth yours, a family member's or someone elses life? Most people tend to not give it a second thought until it affects them directly.

[jinxxycat]

Originally posted by thinksnow
In Newport News, VA, a section of I-64 has been under construction since 1991 (no, don't get me started on small-town corruption). It is 5 lanes wide with concrete barriers on the median side. There are NEVER construction workers anywhere near the work to be done. This is marked as a construction zone with increased fines. 1991-2004=13 years of incompetence.

Man I HATE that stretch of 64! And you're right---NEVER any workers there, just a bunch of rebar on an unpaved highway...

I do believe people need to be woken up but unfortunately people have been conditioned to ignore the signs b/c they sit there for years w/o any improvements being made. Just my $.02

[thinksnow]

You are a better driver than most on the road. I have come to understand that so there is no need to reinforce the idea further.

Please also research the increase in the number of cars and licensed drivers on the road and provide that increase along with your death statistics.

Originally posted by rjstaaf
If they did that the roads would probably be pretty empty. 42,850 people died on US roads last year. The highest number in 12 years.