Drivers take note: If a camera registers your car speeding through a work zone on an MTA bridge or tunnel, a ticket will be mailed to your home starting Tuesday.
Work zone speed cameras were first authorized by Gov. Kathy Hochul in 2021 for work zones on state highways. The program, which officials say was designed to protect road workers and drivers, was expanded to cover MTA Bridges and Tunnels last year. Implementation began earlier this summer, when the MTA first activated speed cameras at operational construction zones on MTA bridges and tunnels on June 30.
The MTA has since sent out more than 15,000 warnings to drivers, the agency said in a statement Sunday.
But starting Sept. 22, there won’t be any more warnings — instead, the owners of cars recorded driving more than 10 miles per hour above the posted speed limit will be issued fines. Tickets will start at $50 for the first offense, and go up to $75 for second offenses, according to the MTA. Each violation after that will result in fines of $100 if they’re within the first 18 months after a violation.
The MTA said each violation will be validated by a certified technician before it’s sent out. And because speed camera-captured violations are officially considered non-moving infractions, they will not appear on driving records or result in points on a driver's license.
The MTA operates nine bridges and tunnels in the five boroughs where the cameras are installed:
- Bronx-Whitestone Bridge
- Cross Bay Veterans Memorial Bridge
- Henry Hudson Bridge
- Hugh L. Carey Tunnel
- Marine Parkway-Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge
- Queens Midtown Tunnel
- Robert F. Kennedy Bridge
- Throgs Neck Bridge
- Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge
Drivers may also spot unmarked vehicles, equipped with radar and cameras, stationed at locations during work hours at each active work zone.
There will also be late fees in addition to the fines for drivers who don’t pay on time, according to the MTA. Violators will be able to pay the fines online, via mobile app, by mail or in person at the NYC Department of Finance Business Centers. Tickets will have more information about payment on the back.
According to the MTA, there were almost 900 fatalities and 40,000 injuries in work zones across the United States in 2023. The agency reported that a majority of road workers in New York State said they feel safer in zones where the program is enforced.
