Jones
NIAGARA FALLS — For CSEA members working for the state Department of Transportation in Niagara County, an expansion of the speed camera pilot program would be very welcome.
“You can’t go past a school bus now without being caught on camera,” said CSEA Niagara DOT Local President Jimmy Jones. “If you do, you get a ticket in the mail. A lot of people aren’t passing buses like they used to. If it works for them, it will work on highways.”
In Niagara County, there has been only one test of the speed cameras, near the bridge from the United States to Canada. Jones admitted this was not an adequate test of the speed cameras as it is an area where drivers naturally must slow down.
In general, Jones said he that anything that can be done to protect highway workers is critical.
“On [Interstate] 190, we ask for troopers – drivers don’t even respect the troopers sometimes,” said Jones. “I know if I got a ticket going through a work zone, I’d slow down for every orange cone I see.”
He related a story in which an angry driver exited his vehicle to confront a flagger who had stopped traffic approaching a work zone. Jones said he approached the motorist and firmly insisted the driver get back into his vehicle. In this case, the motorist complied.
Changes to the laws on assaulting a highway worker would also be very welcome, noted Jones. There is currently a proposed bill to raise the penalty for assault on a highway worker from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class D felony.
“Drivers don’t really respect us. When a stretch of road says 65 miles per hour, drivers want to go 65 miles per hour,” said Jones. “It’s scary when they’re flying by us.”
Jones said he welcomes expanding the speed camera program as well as proposed changed to the penalties.
“I like these [proposals],” he said. “We need help and I don’t want to get beat up at work.”
— Mathew L. Cantore and Sara McNicholas
