 | 05/29/2008 Illinois Tollway & Illinois State Police District 15
Crack Down on Speeders in Construction Areas
Work Zone Speed Limits Enforced 24/7, Regardless if Workers Are Present
DOWNERS GROVE, Ill. – In an effort to enhance safety in work zones for motorists and construction workers alike, the Illinois Tollway and Illinois State Police District 15 will demonstrate zero tolerance for drivers who exceed work zone speed limits by aggressively ticketing violators and utilizing a variety of speed-enforcement initiatives during the 2008 construction season.
The 45 m.p.h. work zone speed limit for Tollway construction projects is strictly enforced 24 hours a day, seven days a week, regardless if workers are present. Signage posted throughout construction zones clearly states that the minimum penalty for violating the construction zone speed limit is a $375 fine. First-time offenders also are subject to mandatory court appearance. A second violation will result in a $1,000 fine and the loss of driver’s license for 90 days. Hitting a worker could result in a $10,000 fine and up to 14 years in jail.
“Speeding and driving too fast for conditions are the leading causes of roadway accidents,” said District 15 Commander Tami Haukedahl. “Tollway drivers need to be aware that we are serious about enforcing the posted speed limits. Our priority is the safety of drivers and workers in construction zones, and we have multiple tools to ensure that those who don’t slow down are severely penalized.”
Work zones speed limits are in place to protect workers as well as for the benefit of drivers traveling through the construction. Work zones can present obstacles to drivers, included narrowed lanes, lane jogs and counterflow lanes, reduced shoulder widths, uneven pavement levels, and construction equipment. Reduced speeds allow drivers time to make adjustments to avoid accidents and the absence of workers does not eliminate the need to slow down for construction conditions.
The Illinois Tollway is investing $6.3 billion to rebuild and widen roadways systemwide as part of Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s Congestion-Relief Program – Open Roads for a Faster Future. As a result, drivers are encountering more work zones on the tollroads than ever before, as well as stepped-up efforts to enforce reduced speed limits in those work zones. Now in the fourth year, the Tollway’s Congestion-Relief Program is focusing on rebuilding and restoring the majority the Illinois Tollway’s 50-year-old roadways along with adding new lanes to provide additional capacity in critical areas.
“Travel will be more challenging this year due to the volume construction throughout the Tollway system, and we apologize in advance for the inconvenience. However, we ask drivers to realize that when the projects are complete we will have brand new roads with additional capacity to better serve our customers,” said Executive Director Brian McPartlin. “It’s important for drivers to remain attentive and drive responsibly in construction zones, as well as plan additional time for travel – whether they are commuters traveling during the work week or leisure travelers driving on the weekends.”
During the 2008 construction season work zones will be in place on a 45-mile-long stretch of the Tri-State Tollway (I-94/I-294) from O’Hare Airport to the Wisconsin state line, as well as in an 11-mile segment on the south end between 95th Street and 159th Street. On the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88) construction is underway throughout a 23-mile-long corridor from Oak Brook to North Aurora. The northwest end of the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90) from Rockford to the Wisconsin state line is currently under construction, including the Cherry Valley Interchange at I-90 and I-39. In addition, work is planned on the Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355) from 75th Street to Ogden Avenue.
Work Zone Enforcement Efforts
District 15’s proven work zone safety initiatives include use of Photo Speed Enforcement Vans, Operation Hard Hat details and Operation Full House details. In addition District 15 will make use of motorcycle patrols dedicated to construction zones, details targeting trucks and commercial vehicles, and enforcement during regular daily roadway patrols.
Photo Speed Enforcement Vans
Operational only when workers are present, the well-marked white Photo Speed Enforcement Vans are staffed by State Troopers and equipped with state-of-the-art photo radar technology designed to record the speed of vehicles and capture clear images of the driver and the license plate – regardless of the time of day or weather conditions. Tickets with the $375 fine are sent by certified mail within six business days and offenders are subject to a mandatory court appearance. District 15 State Police has working arrangements with courts in Cook, Lake, DuPage, Kane and Winnebago counties to operate the Photo Speed Enforcement Vans.
Operation Hard Hat Details
Hard Hat details place District 15 Troopers dressed as construction workers in active work zone sites. Troopers are equipped with LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) guns to clock the speed of individual cars driving by. LIDAR guns use the same principles as radar guns to measure speed, but employ light beams to pinpoint the speed of each targeted vehicle with accuracy. By radioing a vehicle description ahead to Troopers in squad cars just outside the work zones, State Police then safely pull the speeders over and issue citations.
Operation Full House Details
Operation Full House details concentrate District 15 personnel and resources into a targeted roadway corridor to aggressively enforce all traffic laws. The details can utilize personnel from District 15 Special Enforcement Teams, Truck Team, Air Operations and some administrative perso
nnel. Motorist traveling on the selected Tollway during a Full House detail will see Troopers approximately every five miles. Officer will be concentrate on fatal five violations; speeding, improper lane usage, following too closely, seat belt violations and DUI.
About the Illinois Tollway
Illinois State Police District 15 is a separate contingent of the Illinois State Police and is responsible for law enforcement and patrols on the Illinois Tollway System. The Illinois Tollway maintains and operates 286 miles of interstate tollways in 12 counties in Northern Illinois, including the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88), the Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355), the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90), and the Tri-State Tollway (I-94, I-294, I-80/I-294). Tollway customers can save time and money with I-PASS electronic toll collection - Get I-PASS & Get Going!
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