INDOT: 25,000+ warnings issued in first month of Safe Zones enforcement in northeast Indianapolis

INDIANAPOLIS — More than 25,000 warnings were issued as part of the first month of enforcing Indiana’s worksite speed control pilot program, known as Safe Zones.

According to officials with the Indiana Department of Transportation, Safe Zones enforcement began in early May in the Clear Path I-465/I-69 construction zone in northeast Indianapolis. First violation warnings were issued for vehicles traveling more than 11 mph over the posted speed limit.

“Overall, we’re seeing slower speeds in the Clear Path work zone,” INDOT Commissioner Lyndsay Quist said in the release. “Speed is the leading factor in fatal crashes, and our goal is to create safer conditions for drivers, their passengers and road workers.”

According to previous reports, the system documents speeds of vehicles using speed timing devices located in work zones. When a vehicle is traveling 11 mph or more than the speed limit, the system takes a photo of the rear license plate of the vehicle. Violations will then be issued to the vehicle’s owner, including:

• Zero-fine warning for first-time violators
• $75 civil fine for second violation
• $150 civil fine for third and subsequent violations.

Signs are posted to let drivers know when they are entering or exiting active worksites that are a part of the Safe Zones program. The release said that INDOT is able to deploy Safe Zones at up to four sites at any given time. The Clear Path project on the northeast side of Indianapolis is “currently the only active site.”

“It’s encouraging to see drivers slowing down in this highly traveled area,” Matt Ubelhor, Indiana’s secretary of transportation and infrastructure, said in the release. “Speeding through work zones provides very minimal time savings, and no one’s life is worth that couple of minutes–or less.”

The release said that Safe Zones began in the state in August 2024. This comes after the Indiana General Assembly passed House Enrolled Act 1015 during the 2023 legislative session.

Additional sites are expected to be announced later this summer and will begin with immediate enforcement. The release said violations may be paid online, by phone or by mail. For more information, click here.