The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) is expanding its worksite speed control pilot program, Safe Zones, to Interstate 65 in Lake County. This initiative is already operational in the Clear Path I-465/I-69 work zone on Indianapolis’s northeast side. INDOT Commissioner Lyndsay Quist said, “Overall, the program has been successful in slowing drivers down,” adding that slower speeds improve safety for both road workers and drivers.
Starting July 7, enforcement will commence in the I-65 construction zone between mile markers 235 and 239 near Lowell. The program will continue in Marion County’s Clear Path zone. Vehicles exceeding the speed limit by 11 mph or more will receive a violation notice by mail. The first offense results in a warning with no fine, while subsequent violations incur fines of $75 and $150.
Secretary of Transportation and Infrastructure Matt Ubelhor emphasized safety as the program’s main goal: “We want everyone to go home to their loved ones at the end of the day.” Authorized by House Enrolled Act 1015 during the 2023 legislative session, Safe Zones can operate at up to four sites simultaneously. The program aims to reduce crashes and protect lives by slowing traffic in work zones.
Safe Zones uses truck-mounted devices to record vehicle speeds as they pass through work zones. If a vehicle exceeds the speed limit by 11 mph or more, an image of its rear license plate is captured. Validated violations are mailed to vehicle owners, with fines directed to the state’s General Fund. Signs inform drivers that speeds are monitored automatically; workers must be present for violations to be valid. Payments can be made online, by phone, or by mail within 30 days.
In its first month at Clear Path, over 25,000 warnings were issued for first-time violations. INDOT plans to provide annual reports throughout the five-year pilot program to both lawmakers and the public.
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