Speed Photo–Radar Enforcement and Its Effects on Speed in Work Zones

Abstract

Automated speed photo–radar enforcement (SPE) in work zones was implemented for the first time in the United States in Illinois. This paper presents the results of the effectiveness of SPE on the basis of three data sets collected in two work zones. SPE was effective in reducing the average speed and increasing compliance with the work zone speed limit in all three data sets. In almost all cases in which SPE was implemented, the average speeds were significantly lower than the work zone speed limit. The average free-flowing speed of cars was reduced by 4.2 to 7.9 mph, and that of trucks by 3.4 to 6.9 mph. SPE reduced the percentage of cars and heavy vehicles exceeding the speed limit significantly. The percentages of free-flowing cars exceeding the speed limit were reduced from 39.8% to 8.3% in Data Set 1, from 30.4% to 4.2% in Data Set 2, and from 93.2% to 45.5% in Data Set 3. The percentages of free-flowing heavy vehicles exceeding the speed limit were reduced from 17.3% to 4.2% in Data Set 1; from 6.1% to 1.2% in Data Set 2; and from 69.2% to 13.9% in Data Set 3. Trucks did not exceed the speed limit by more than 10 mph in any of the data sets when SPE was implemented. In two data sets no cars exceeded the speed limit by more than 10 mph, while in the third data set only 2.5% did. Field data were also collected after the SPE van left the work zone to examine the halo (temporal) effects of SPE. SPE had a halo effect of 1.8∼2.7 mph on free-flowing trucks in one work zone but none in the other work zone. The halo effect of SPE on free-flowing cars was a limited 1.2 mph on the shoulder lane in only one data set.