DRIVERS risk facing hundreds of dollars in fines once new moving cameras are installed under a new pilot program that could be expanded to more areas.
The new camera system is hoped to help officials crackdown on reckless drivers by automatically issuing tickets without needed cops on the beat.
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It would see drivers who violate the law receive tickets in the mail without any warning.
The new initiative targets drivers who block public bus stops or bus lanes.
The new cameras which will be active in multiple areas, will send out $125 fines to offenders.
But, they will be given a grace period in which first-time offenders will be issued a low-cost ticket or be let off with a warning.
The effort hopes to improve traffic flow, reduce congestion, and increase safety for both drivers and pedestrians.
The program is being rolled out in Boston by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA).
City officials said on Thursday it plans to install the new cameras on several of the public buses in Boston this year before expanding to other buses by 2026, as reported by MassLive.
The MBTA said it is still working on the specifics of the initiative.
Governor Maura Healey spearheaded the new regulation after signing a bill that would allow authorities to use the camera system to identify drivers who are stopped illegally.
The MBTA said that when drivers park in bus lanes or by bus stops, they’re making it harder for people with physical disabilities who need the bus to stop close to the curb to get on safely.
While Boston residents have claimed this is a cash grab, Alexandrea Hallowell, the MBTA’s director of transit priority, said she hopes this law changes driver behavior.
At Thursday’s board meeting, officials identified seven locations across the city where they could start installing cameras to ticket drivers.
This would include parts of Brighton Avenue, North Washington Street, Sullivan Square, St. James Avenue, Columbus Avenue, and sections of Huntington Avenue and Washington Street.
When deciding on pilot locations, analysis by MBTA revealed ten locations where bus stops were blocked by important health care facilities.
City officials said these areas — Longwood Medical Area, Tufts Medical Center, Boston Medical Center, and St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center —could be first on the list to see cameras installed.
Planned Bus Stop Enforcement
Potential location where cameras could be installed to ticket drivers:
- North Washington Street
- Silver Line, Washington Street (SL 4/5)
- Brighton Avenue
- Huntington Avenue
- St. James (Clarendon and Darthmouth)
- Sullivan Square
- Columbus Avenue (Phase I)
Source: MassLive
The law only allows authorities to ticket drivers after they’re able to double-check the captured images for accuracy.
Drivers who are illegally parked at a bus stop will receive a $100 ticket.
Blocking a bus lane will warrant a fine ranging from $25 to $125, with citations increasingly for subsequent violations.
The severity of the penalty will also depend on whether the driver is operating a personal vehicle or a commercial vehicle.
If drivers feel they were issued a ticket unfairly, they can appeal it.
Other major cities — like New York, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Chicago, and San Francisco — have adopted a similar method of identifying and ticketing reckless drivers.