Witnesses debate safety cameras and costs as panel weighs Parkway Safety and Reinvestment Act

Representative Don Beyer and local officials urged the subcommittee to consider HR 6778, the Parkway Safety and Reinvestment Act, as a safety measure that would allow the National Park Service to use automated speed safety cameras on certain park roads and direct resulting civil penalty revenue back to the NPS unit for maintenance and program costs.

Beyer argued speed cameras reduce collisions and cited broad evidence: "A global analysis of 35 traffic studies found that the presence of speed cameras reduced the proportion of vehicle speeding by as much as 65%," he said. Jeff McKay, chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, described his county's photo‑enforcement pilot — which reduced average speeds by about 15% in pilot locations — and said the bill would let similar reinvestment occur on the George Washington Parkway.

The Department of the Interior opposed HR 6778 as drafted, saying startup costs, calibration, staffing and requirements for notice and hearings could create initial spending needs and administrative burdens that might divert agency resources. "The department does not support HR 6778," Charles Cuvelier testified, citing the need for new civil penalty frameworks and potential upfront costs before revenue becomes available.

Supporters disputed the scale of the administrative burden and said many jurisdictions see few adjudication hearings; Beyer said in many systems "one‑tenth of one percent" of recipients request hearings and that most people pay fines. Cuvelier and others offered to work with sponsors on technical language and implementation details. Witnesses agreed that any program would still be subject to environmental and signage requirements and that the bill does not itself require park units to buy cameras.

The subcommittee left the record open for follow‑up questions and did not take a vote.