Committee presses AOT and public safety after work‑zone camera pilot delayed by law‑enforcement issues

Committee members raised concerns after testimony that the Agency of Transportation’s pilot to use automated traffic enforcement in work zones on limited‑access highways will not begin as scheduled because AOT reports it has not secured a willing law‑enforcement partner to review and certify camera‑generated violations.

The committee’s discussion focused on S.184, the enacted pilot statute cited in testimony, which sets out a civil‑penalty framework and requires a law enforcement officer to inspect recorded images and affirm violations before a civil complaint is issued. Committee members said testimony from AOT indicated the agency had contracted for equipment and federal grant funding was in place but that the state had not identified law enforcement staff ready to undertake the certification and affidavit work the statute requires.

Members described the pilot as a safety measure aimed at slowing traffic in construction zones to protect highway workers. Several legislators recalled testimony from employers and workers reporting frequent speeding through work zones and urged the committee to press…