(November 26, 2014) – In an ongoing effort to improve work zone safety, the Maryland State Police (MSP) and the State Highway Administration (SHA) will deploy the Maryland SafeZones Automated Speed Enforcement system at the northbound US 29 widening project that extends  three miles from Seneca Drive (north of MD 32) to south of MD 175 in Howard County.

Maryland SafeZones automated speed enforcement (ASE) cameras will be deployed along US 29 beginning Monday, December 1. A 21-day warning period will follow, and MSP will authorize citations starting Monday, December 22. The speed limit in the work zone is posted at 55 mph. Drivers excessively speeding by 12 or more miles over the speed limit, or 67 mph or more, face a $40 civil citation.

“Work zones present dangerous conditions and challenges that require extra concentration and slower speeds,” said SHA Administrator Melinda B. Peters. “Considering four out of five people injured or killed in work zone crashes are vehicle occupants, not workers, it benefits everyone to obey work zone speed limits.”

Maryland SafeZones supports SHA, MSP and Maryland Transportation Authority Police (MdTA) in the statewide effort to improve work zone safety. Mobile enforcement vehicles rotate among designated construction zones along controlled-access highways with posted speed limits of 45 mph or higher. Large signs are in place in advance of the work zones to alert drivers of automated speed enforcement use. Crews will also place a “speed trailer” to display the posted speed limit and drivers’ speeds in advance of the enforcement vehicle.

Where SafeZones has been deployed, speeding violations have decreased by more than 90 percent. ASE is currently deployed in 11 other work zones in the State. For more information, please visit www.safezones.maryland.gov.

The $32.7 million US 29 widening includes constructing a new third lane along northbound US 29 and new sound barriers.  Current work includes excavation for the new lane in the median area. Upcoming work will include base paving in the median area and overnight patching work in the northbound lanes of US 29 between MD 32 and Broken Land Parkway.  Lane closures are in effect Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and night work may occur each night between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. The project is anticipated to be complete in fall 2016. More information about the project is available at http://bit.ly/US29phase1B.

While SHA and its partners work hard to maintain safe traffic mobility in work zones, each driver needs to actively modify his or her driving style to help prevent crashes. Stay alert – look for reduced speed limits, narrow driving lanes and highway workers. Slow down and don't follow too closely. Safer Driving. Safer Work Zones. For Everyone!