The program was established through legislation signed into law by Gov. Hochul in 2021, authorizing a five-year pilot program jointly administered by NYSDOT and the New York State Thruway Authority to slow motorists in work zones and improve highway safety. In 2025, the program was extended through 2031. Its goals are to reduce speed, improve driver behavior, save the lives of highway workers and motorists, complement existing enforcements by the New York State Police and promote safer work zones.

“Governor Kathy Hochul is laser focused on public safety and that means transportation safety. She has been a staunch advocate for the Automated Work Zone Speed Enforcement Program since signing it into law in 2021. We implemented the program and it has already made a significant difference in slowing drivers down by 30 percent in work zones with a speed camera, and I thank Governor Hochul for her determination to expand this worthy program, which is enhancing safety for all New Yorkers,” New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said in a news release. “With the highway construction season in full swing, our maintenance crews and contractors are out there every day improving New York’s roads and bridges, and it’s imperative that we do everything we can to keep them safe.”

Previously limited to controlled access highways, provisions included in this year’s State Budget now allow the AWZSE program to be used on nearly any roadway under the jurisdiction of the New York State Department of Transportation. The expansion follows a sharp increase in work zone crashes in 2025 after three consecutive years of declining incidents.

According to NYSDOT, there were 366 work zone crashes on state owned roads in 2025, resulting in 58 injuries and two fatalities. By comparison, there were 156 crashes in 2024, resulting in 30 injuries and one fatality. State officials hope the expansion will reverse that trend and reduce the number of work zone crashes.

The AWZSE program uses speed enforcement cameras installed in active work zones. Motorists traveling 11 mph or more above the posted speed limit have their license plates photographed and receive a notice of liability by mail. Signs alert motorists when speed cameras are in use, and enforcement occurs only when workers are present.

Fines are $50 for a first violation, $75 for a second violation and $100 for a third violation. Payments may be made by mail, by phone or through the NYS.gov website.

The first cameras were deployed in May 2023. Since then, more than 425,000 notices of liability have been issued statewide, including more than 38,000 repeat offenders. In locations where cameras have been deployed multiple times, fewer notices of liability have been issued, indicating motorists are slowing down when speed cameras are present.

New York State Thruway Authority Executive Director Frank G. Hoare said, “The Automated Work Zone Speed Enforcement Program has proven effective at changing driver behavior, with motorists slowing down and average speeds in work zones decreasing. That means safer conditions for the men and women who work every day to maintain and improve our transportation system, as well as for the motorists traveling through these areas. We thank Governor Hochul for her continued commitment to worker safety and for investing in the expansion of this proven program. By bringing automated speed enforcement to more work zones across New York State, we can further reduce dangerous driving, help protect our highway workers and ensure everyone gets home safely.”

Gov. Hochul has also proposed additional safety measures for highway workers in the 2027 State Budget. Those proposals include enhanced assault protections for highway workers, new penalties for menacing highway workers and intrusions into active work zones, as well as expanding the AWZSE program to additional roadways.

State Sen. Jeremy Cooney emphasized the importance of protecting highway workers.

“[They] deserve to feel safe every time they’re on the job, and New York is leading the way to ensure it. From repairing roads and updating bridges to maintaining the systems that millions of New Yorkers rely on, our infrastructure depends on their dedication. As chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, I’m proud to work with Governor Hochul and the New York State Department of Transportation to expand the Automated Work Zone Speed Enforcement Program and keep highway workers out of harm’s way. It’s the protection they deserve.”