VDOT asks Augusta County to consider automated speed enforcement in I‑81 work zone

County staff briefed supervisors on a request from the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to consider installing automated speed‑enforcement cameras in an I‑81 construction work zone near Weyers Cave, where staff said the project has seen an elevated number of rear‑end collisions.

Staff described how work‑zone speed cameras operate: devices photograph license plates of vehicles exceeding posted work‑zone speeds and issue civil fines (the example discussed was a $100 fine for 10 mph over the limit). Staff said the revenue from the civil fines would flow back to the locality and that implementation would require clear advance signage and contracting with a third‑party vendor to operate the system, as mandated by applicable state law and local policies.

Board members expressed differing views. Some supervisors supported the measure as a temporary safety tool for a high‑crash construction corridor; others raised concerns about automated enforcement without a person identified with each citation, equating it to revenue‑generation and noting pushback seen in Harrisonburg when signage and notification were not compliant. One supervisor asked the county to gather detailed cost and compliance information and bring it back for further consideration; another said they were opposed to pursuing automated enforcement on principle.

Staff said they will gather additional information on third‑party costs, signage, legal compliance steps and enforcement logistics and return to the board for further discussion if the board elects to continue exploring the option.