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Parkway speed‑camera bill draws split reaction; NPS flags startup costs and adjudication burdens
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Summary
Representative Beyer and local officials urged HR 6778 to let park units keep speed‑camera revenue for maintenance and safety; the National Park Service said it does not support the bill as written because automated enforcement would require upfront costs and new adjudication processes.
Lawmakers and local officials told the House Natural Resources Subcommittee that automated speed cameras could reduce crashes on narrow, scenic parkways, but National Park Service officials warned the proposal raises startup and adjudication concerns.
Representative Beyer, sponsor of HR 6778 (the Parkway Safety and Reinvestment Act), said speeding on the George Washington Parkway has led to multiple fatalities and that authorizing revenue retention would allow National Park Service units to pay for camera installation and maintenance. "Speed cameras are an effective way to do that," Beyer said, pointing to studies he said show reductions in speeding and crashes after cameras are installed.
Charles Cuvelier, associate director for visitor and resource protection at the National Park Service, told the subcommittee the department supports efforts to enhance public safety but "does not support HR 6778" in its current form because the Park Service would face significant upfront acquisition, installation, calibration and maintenance costs as well as potential added expenses to provide notice and hearings before assessing civil penalties. Cuvelier said those costs could divert funding from other NPS priorities.
Local officials pushed back on the closure: Jeff McKay, chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, described the county’s photo enforcement pilot and said the program reduced average speeds and has been cost neutral for his county while funding safety projects. "Photo enforcement has proven to be an effective tool in achieving these outcomes in Fairfax County," McKay said.
Committee members pressed witnesses on whether the bill would require the Park Service to buy cameras (witnesses said the bill does not force NPS to purchase equipment) and on how adjudication and notice processes would be administered. Cuvelier said the department is willing to work with sponsors on technical refinements.
What’s next: No vote was taken; committee members requested additional technical assistance and follow‑up from the Park Service and held the record open for written questions.
