New York

[SignBridge]

Maybe in the near future car dealers will be offering as an option on your new car purchase, a row boat with mounting rack on the car's roof.

[kalvado]

NYS just found another revenue source.
Gov. Hochul just signed a bill which allows implementing speed violation monitoring systems in work zones by means of photo devices.
In general, that is not a bad idea - until you realize that NY defines work area as an area where work zone signs are posted, regardless of actual work being done; and allows those signs to stay up for months with no actual work being done.
I assume those abandoned work zones will become prime enforcement targets...
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2021/s4682/amendment/b
https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Hochul-signs-4-bills-on-Labor-Day-16438762.php

[RobbieL2415]

NYS just found another revenue source.
Gov. Hochul just signed a bill which allows implementing speed violation monitoring systems in work zones by means of photo devices.
In general, that is not a bad idea - until you realize that NY defines work area as an area where work zone signs are posted, regardless of actual work being done; and allows those signs to stay up for months with no actual work being done.
I assume those abandoned work zones will become prime enforcement targets...
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2021/s4682/amendment/b
https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Hochul-signs-4-bills-on-Labor-Day-16438762.php

MD law is similar.
Work zone speed limits apply even if no work is actively being performed. It's stupid.

[Great Lakes Roads]

https://patch.com/new-york/peekskill/cashless-tolling-come-bear-mountain-bridge

The Bear Mountain Bridge will be the next one going cashless sometime in October. All of the New York State Bridge Authority's bridges will be going cashless by March 2022.

EDIT: Here's another news article on it.
https://www.hudsonvalley360.com/news/greenecounty/tollbooths-days-numbered/article_f360347e-501b-5c44-92cf-d329d400546f.html

[roadman65]

NYS just found another revenue source.
Gov. Hochul just signed a bill which allows implementing speed violation monitoring systems in work zones by means of photo devices.
In general, that is not a bad idea - until you realize that NY defines work area as an area where work zone signs are posted, regardless of actual work being done; and allows those signs to stay up for months with no actual work being done.
I assume those abandoned work zones will become prime enforcement targets...
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2021/s4682/amendment/b
https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Hochul-signs-4-bills-on-Labor-Day-16438762.php

MD law is similar.
Work zone speed limits apply even if no work is actively being performed. It's stupid.

In Florida it's when workers present.

At least it's not SC where 30 days in jail is the penalty for speeding in work zones. Whether present or not, I am unsure of circumstances.

[empirestate]

https://patch.com/new-york/peekskill/cashless-tolling-come-bear-mountain-bridge

The Bear Mountain Bridge will be the next one going cashless sometime in October. All of the New York State Bridge Authority's bridges will be going cashless by March 2022.

I assume (though perhaps I should not) that the tollgate here will be retained, as it is historic. It also serves as a gateway into the interstate park complex. Can the cashless tolling equipment be incorporated into it?

[crispy93]

I went up the Hutch northbound last night and most of the signs have been replaced. 684 has a covered up exit tab though there is no LEFT panel on it. Southbound, the advance sign for the Cross-County has a left-justified tab but no LEFT panel. Still no mile markers in the Bronx. I've been strangely looking forward to those haha.

[cl94]

https://patch.com/new-york/peekskill/cashless-tolling-come-bear-mountain-bridge

The Bear Mountain Bridge will be the next one going cashless sometime in October. All of the New York State Bridge Authority's bridges will be going cashless by March 2022.

I assume (though perhaps I should not) that the tollgate here will be retained, as it is historic. It also serves as a gateway into the interstate park complex. Can the cashless tolling equipment be incorporated into it?

Existing tollhouse at Bear Mountain is a replica, so it will not be retained. The original is on display along 6/202 north of Peekskill.

[empirestate]

https://patch.com/new-york/peekskill/cashless-tolling-come-bear-mountain-bridge

The Bear Mountain Bridge will be the next one going cashless sometime in October. All of the New York State Bridge Authority's bridges will be going cashless by March 2022.

I assume (though perhaps I should not) that the tollgate here will be retained, as it is historic. It also serves as a gateway into the interstate park complex. Can the cashless tolling equipment be incorporated into it?

Existing tollhouse at Bear Mountain is a replica, so it will not be retained. The original is on display along 6/202 north of Peekskill.

Surely the original toll house at the bridge is the extant NYSBA building? The toll house in Cortlandt was for the approach road.

[Alps]

NYS just found another revenue source.
Gov. Hochul just signed a bill which allows implementing speed violation monitoring systems in work zones by means of photo devices.
In general, that is not a bad idea - until you realize that NY defines work area as an area where work zone signs are posted, regardless of actual work being done; and allows those signs to stay up for months with no actual work being done.
I assume those abandoned work zones will become prime enforcement targets...
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2021/s4682/amendment/b
https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Hochul-signs-4-bills-on-Labor-Day-16438762.php

I noticed people on the Taconic slowing way down at posted work zones. I did not. I think this may find surprisingly little opposition (nonzero but less).

[Rothman]

NYS just found another revenue source.
Gov. Hochul just signed a bill which allows implementing speed violation monitoring systems in work zones by means of photo devices.
In general, that is not a bad idea - until you realize that NY defines work area as an area where work zone signs are posted, regardless of actual work being done; and allows those signs to stay up for months with no actual work being done.
I assume those abandoned work zones will become prime enforcement targets...
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2021/s4682/amendment/b
https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Hochul-signs-4-bills-on-Labor-Day-16438762.php

I noticed people on the Taconic slowing way down at posted work zones. I did not. I think this may find surprisingly little opposition (nonzero but less).

I slow down for work zones because of the annual NYSDOT memorial for employees that were killed during the year.

[kalvado]

NYS just found another revenue source.
Gov. Hochul just signed a bill which allows implementing speed violation monitoring systems in work zones by means of photo devices.
In general, that is not a bad idea - until you realize that NY defines work area as an area where work zone signs are posted, regardless of actual work being done; and allows those signs to stay up for months with no actual work being done.
I assume those abandoned work zones will become prime enforcement targets...
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2021/s4682/amendment/b
https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Hochul-signs-4-bills-on-Labor-Day-16438762.php

I noticed people on the Taconic slowing way down at posted work zones. I did not. I think this may find surprisingly little opposition (nonzero but less).

I slow down for work zones because of the annual NYSDOT memorial for employees that were killed during the year.

it would really help if "work zone" signs were actually a sign that some work is being done. So far, best one I saw was a full setup rotting on Washington ave. ext in Albany over the winter in order for  work to be resumed in spring.

[vdeane]

Then there was the Tappan Zee work zone on the Thruway.  Even when the east/southbound direction was fully complete and in its final configuration, the speed limit was STILL 45 due to the work on the other side.  The only way you could intrude on the other side would be to fall into the river.

And, of course, the perpetual work zone on the Castleton-on-Hudson Bridge.  Until the recent project, there was never any work being done; one time the only stuff that was there was some cones and a policeman with a radar gun.

[Alps]

NYS just found another revenue source.
Gov. Hochul just signed a bill which allows implementing speed violation monitoring systems in work zones by means of photo devices.
In general, that is not a bad idea - until you realize that NY defines work area as an area where work zone signs are posted, regardless of actual work being done; and allows those signs to stay up for months with no actual work being done.
I assume those abandoned work zones will become prime enforcement targets...
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2021/s4682/amendment/b
https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Hochul-signs-4-bills-on-Labor-Day-16438762.php

I noticed people on the Taconic slowing way down at posted work zones. I did not. I think this may find surprisingly little opposition (nonzero but less).

I slow down for work zones because of the annual NYSDOT memorial for employees that were killed during the year.

hard to kill people in an empty 12-mile work zone

[cl94]

NYS just found another revenue source.
Gov. Hochul just signed a bill which allows implementing speed violation monitoring systems in work zones by means of photo devices.
In general, that is not a bad idea - until you realize that NY defines work area as an area where work zone signs are posted, regardless of actual work being done; and allows those signs to stay up for months with no actual work being done.
I assume those abandoned work zones will become prime enforcement targets...
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2021/s4682/amendment/b
https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Hochul-signs-4-bills-on-Labor-Day-16438762.php

I noticed people on the Taconic slowing way down at posted work zones. I did not. I think this may find surprisingly little opposition (nonzero but less).

I slow down for work zones because of the annual NYSDOT memorial for employees that were killed during the year.

hard to kill people in an empty 12-mile work zone

The question, of course, is will they be like Illinois (photo enforcement in theory, but not in reality) or will they abuse the hell out of this by ticketing empty work zones? This is probably gonna go over as well as school zone speed cameras in Buffalo if the latter is true.

[empirestate]

hard to kill people in an empty 12-mile work zone

It's reminiscent of school zones, too. How does one accurately and definitively determine whether children, or workers, are present?

[kalvado]

hard to kill people in an empty 12-mile work zone

It's reminiscent of school zones, too. How does one accurately and definitively determine whether children, or workers, are present?

FOr schools there are some reasonable assumptions. Certain hours, 5 days a week except holidays will cover most of it. Some override for flashing lights from the office on top. that would be reasonable one to follow.
Once upon a time there was a cop who prayed on elementary school speed limit. He loved enforcing that signage at 10 pm on weekends. I don't know why that revenue stream ended, though.

[empirestate]

FOr schools there are some reasonable assumptions. Certain hours, 5 days a week except holidays will cover most of it.

Yeah, I'm thinking about the cases outside of the easily-guessed, regular weekdays. For example, say it's a non-Christian holiday. Is the school closed? In NYC, safe bet, but you don't know every school district's calendar that you might drive by. What about summer break? Some buildings might have summer school, others might even have a regular term during the summer. And so forth.

(We don't have to hash out the answer–I'm mainly just observing the difficulty of having a rule based on some factor that needs to be observed case-by-case.)

[SignBridge]

In New York State at least the hours are well defined, if not the days. 7am to 6pm as posted on the School Zone signs.

[cl94]

In New York State at least the hours are well defined, if not the days. 7am to 6pm as posted on the School Zone signs.

Outside of NYC that is. That falls apart in NYC.

[Flyer78]

Back in the late '90s, it was pointed out that NY didn't permit "when flashing" beacons to indicate school hours - as noted above 7am to 6pm. I think when NY changed to the national MUTCD the "when flashing" could be used again.

For a fun throw-back: https://web.archive.org/web/20021121180247/http://www.dot.state.ny.us/info/faq.html#schoolzone

[empirestate]

So back to the work zone question, how might one establish that workers are not present–as opposed to present, but on break, or just working away from the roadway–and thus the speed limit not in effect?

[Alps]

So back to the work zone question, how might one establish that workers are not present–as opposed to present, but on break, or just working away from the roadway–and thus the speed limit not in effect?

The speed limit should only be in effect when work vehicles are active or you see workers. Opinion.

[empirestate]

So back to the work zone question, how might one establish that workers are not present–as opposed to present, but on break, or just working away from the roadway–and thus the speed limit not in effect?

The speed limit should only be in effect when work vehicles are active or you see workers. Opinion.

Well, that's what I mean–how do you determine, by observation, that a work vehicle is active? And what about those with in interest in the case who aren't present to observe anything? I mean...suppose you hit a worker because you didn't see him?

(Mind you, I'm not arguing in favor of speed limits at empty work zones. I'm just trying to visualize how something that seems so subjective could be applied fairly and evenly–and effectively.)

[seicer]

I like what Ohio has done: variable speed limits based upon whether or not it is needed or not. On long stretches of I-71 and OH 11 (from last weekend), the variable speed limits were set to 70 MPH because the construction zone was not active. When they are active, the lights flash, and the variable speed limits are lower.

What determines active? On both highways, they were in various stages of being asphalted. Nothing major, and nothing that couldn't be attempted at 70 MPH. There were no workers. There is no reason that it needs to be signed for 55 MPH if it's not required.