By Michael V. Cusenza
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority held two public hearings this week—on Monday, Oct. 6 and Tuesday, Oct. 7—on two proposed programs that are expected to increase roadway safety at MTA Bridges and Tunnels: Weigh-In-Motion and Work Zone Speed Enforcement.
According to the authority, these initiatives build on the agency’s record of improving safety in recent years, including a 60-percent reduction in collisions across all MTA Bridges and Tunnels facilities through August 2025, compared to the same period in 2019, as announced two weeks ago.
Weigh-in-Motion uses roadway sensors and adjacent cameras to weigh vehicles and issue fines to the owners of overweight trucks. This technology is being applied as a pilot on the RFK Bridge. These fines deter overweight operators that exceed the maximum gross weight by 10 percent or more and/or axle weight by 20 percent from crossing bridges and potentially damaging the structures. The MTA was authorized to embark on this program as part of the 2026 New York State Budget to protect the structural integrity of its bridges and tunnels.
The Work Zone Speed Enforcement program was signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul in 2021 and was expanded to include MTA Bridges and Tunnels earlier this year as part of the 2026 New York State budget. The program is designed to improve safety for both construction workers and drivers in areas where road work is being performed through speed camera enforcement. Motorists who are caught going ten miles or more over the posted speed limit in work zones will face a fine, depending on the number of previous offenses. The cameras will only be turned on during the time crews are actively working.
According to the agency, MTA Construction & Development projects have contributed to these lasting reductions including roadway realignment on the Southbound Queens approach to the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge, which has resulted in a 75-percent reduction in collisions. The newly widened Belt Parkway from the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge Eastbound upper-level has yielded a 30-percent reduction in collisions.
In a renewed focus on tinted window enforcement, in 2025 B&T is on pace to achieve a 21-percent increase in summonses issued since 2023, further enhancing safety at B&T crossings.
In addition to the multi-agency ghost plate task force, MTA Bridge and Tunnel Officers, along with the recent presence of MTA Police on B&T crossings, have towed 5,200 persistent toll violators, a 296-percent increase from 2022, and issued 18,500 summonses, an 88-percent increase from 2022.
“We’re extremely proud of the work of our employees to improve safety for a record number of drivers on our crossings,” said MTA Bridges and Tunnels President Catherine Sheridan. “We will also continue to coordinate with MTA Construction & Development on projects such as road widening and realignment to further these positive trends.”
Sheridan added, “The coordination between B&T officers and our regional law enforcement partners has resulted in increased accountability on our roads. Our enforcement efforts continue to drive down the use of covered, obstructed, and altered license plates and I commend our B&T and MTAPD officers, as well as those of our partners, for their dedication to this important mission.”
