Transportation committee advances work‑zone speed enforcement, broadband relocation reimbursement and towing transparency; honors fallen officers

The city transportation committee on an otherwise routine morning voted to report favorably four items: a work‑zone automated speed enforcement bill introduced by Rep. John Blanton; a measure treating cable and broadband operators like other utilities for reimbursement of forced relocations; a towing and vehicle‑storage transparency bill; and a joint resolution to name portions of state highways for fallen public servants.

Representative John Blanton, sponsor of House Bill 664 on work‑zone safety, said he sought the legislation after “a young man, 22 years old by the name of Jared Lee Helton, from my community, was struck and killed by a reckless driver in a work zone.” The bill would allow automated speed enforcement devices in active work zones to transmit a vehicle’s speed and an image of the rear license plate to a law enforcement officer, who would then make a traffic stop and issue the citation. Blanton told the committee the system would be used only when at least one worker is present and would capture drivers going “11 miles per hour or more in excess of the speed limit.” The bill would require signage with flashing lights while the system is active, annual device calibration and would primarily use off‑duty officers; fines would be deposited into an existing work‑zone safety fund.

A separate…