Fines are coming for drivers who speed through highway construction zones, following a yearlong warning period for a camera program that is already changing beh
This mobile speed camera is one of 15 that will be positioned in highway work zones throughout the state as an added safety measure for road crews.
Fines are coming for drivers who speed through highway construction zones, following a yearlong warning period for a camera program that is already changing behavior. The Work Zone Speed Camera Program issued about 65,000 tickets in its first year, none of which carried a financial penalty.
Starting July 1, first-time offenders will be fined $125, with second and subsequent violations rising to $248. The infractions are considered non-moving violations and do not affect driving records.
Mike Gribner, deputy secretary of transportation for the Washington State Department of Transportation , pointed to data from the initial camera that was set up on I-5 near Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Before the camera was installed, about 60% drivers exceeded posted work zone speed limits. That figure dropped to roughly 30% during enforcement, Gribner said.
“We simply don’t have enough troopers within the patrol to be in every work zone 24 hours a day across this great state,” said Chief John Batiste with the Washington State Patrol. “We see this as a force multiplier.” Batiste said about 9% of citations involved repeat offenders, underscoring the need for stronger deterrence as the program transitions to fines.
WSDOT Deputy Secretary of Transportation was one of several speakers to talk about how the camera program is helping remind drivers to slow down when passing through work zones.
“We need people to simply slow down, obey the speed limits, put your phone down, be attentive to your driving,” he said. “That will be our number one priority when you are behind the wheel.”
The program comes as work zone crashes remain a concern statewide. Preliminary data shows more than 1,500 crashes in construction zones in 2025, with speeding, distracted driving, and following too closely among the leading causes.
“I was personally struck in a work zone twice,” said Tyler Andersen, a WSDOT maintenance supervisor.
“Ever since we got these cameras, they have been helping us out a lot,” said Jose Anderson, a superintendent with Skanska. “It makes all our workers more comfortable when they see these cameras out here.”
Under the program, cameras are deployed based on factors including crash history, speeding trends, and reports of near-misses, said Kyle Miller, WSDOT’s speed safety camera system program manager. The system photographs speeding vehicles only when crews are present. A state trooper reviews each potential violation before a notice is mailed to the vehicle’s registered owner within 30 days.
Transportation officials said the program will expand in its second year, adding more cameras and extending into central and eastern Washington.
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“We want every one of those employees to be able to go home safe and sound after every shift,” said state Sen. Curtis King, the ranking member of the Senate Transportation Committee.
The department is asking anyone who witnessed or recorded the incident to contact investigators.
A fast-moving storm sweeping through western Washington on Wednesday afternoon brought a rare sight over Puget Sound: a short-lived waterspout spotted west of S
Four eastern Washington sheriffs are challenging a newly signed state law that allows a state board to remove elected sheriffs from office.
A widespread power outage affecting more than 15,000 customers was reported on Wednesday across San Juan County, including San Juan, Lopez, and Orcas islands.
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