Tourist city gets tough on drivers blocking bus lanes with $100 ‘first of its kind’ fine
The warning period for a new traffic enforcement program in a major tourist destination had concluded.
A new traffic law crackdown on bus lanes has become active in one of America’s top ten most visited cities.
Washington DC, drivers will now be fined $100 if they’re caught blocking bus stops.
The enforcement program, known as The Clear Lanes Initiative, was enacted by the DC and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) on November 15, according to CBS affiliate WUSA9.
WMATA is monitoring drivers with 140 new cameras installed on each of the region’s Metro Busses covering 31 routes with bus-only lanes — the nation’s first program of its kind.
These 31 bus lanes stretch 12.7 miles, The Washington Post reports.
The city also plans to add 140 more speed cameras by the end of March, 2024.
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District Department of Transportation (DDOT) officials are in charge of enforcement. The DDOT planned to fine Clear Lanes Initiative violators $200 — but reduced the penalty to $100 over concerns the initially proposed amount was too high.
DC had initially projected they’d earn $2.1million from the previous $200 fine amount.
Many towns and cities — big and small, rely on traffic enforcement to aid annual budgets.
During the year ending in 2022, Fenton, Louisiana, a small town with a population of 226, collected $1.3million in fines and forfeitures, many of which were traffic-related.
This $1.3million figure represents more fines and forfeiture than any other Louisiana municipality.
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Chicago is also counting on collecting an additional $46million from traffic fines in 2024 to balance its yearly budget.
Lindiwe Rennert of the Urban Institute had expressed she felt that the penalties might create more DC inequities, given that around half of Clear Route riders are low-income and 80 percent are citizens of color, DCist reports.
Starting January 1, Washington DC drivers will also receive a $100 fine if spotted traveling or stopping in a bus-only lane.
Transportation officials estimate these new regulations will improve service for over 60 percent of Metrobus riders.
During the enforcement’s warning period since July ending in mid-November, the DDOT has issued 23,000 warning notices — 80 percent of which were for cars parked at a bus stop, according to The Washington Post.
