NYSDOT Commissioner Pushes for Expanded Work Zone Safety Measures

Commissioner Dominguez urges lawmakers to expand automated speed enforcement and increase penalties for assaults on highway workers

March 13, 2026

2 min read

Key Highlights

NYSDOT wants automated work zone speed cameras expanded beyond controlled-access highways.
A proposed measure would increase penalties for assaults on highway workers from misdemeanor to felony.
Work zone cameras have reduced speeds by up to 30 mph and recorded no injuries at monitored sites.

Bumper to bumper traffic on a highway with a sign informing drivers of an upcoming work zone ahead. — The NYSDOT commissioner is pushing for enhanced road safety measures for work zones across the state.

As construction season approaches and highway workers return to active job sites, the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) commissioner is urging state lawmakers to strengthen work zone safety protections

NYSDOT Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez visited Plattsburg, N.Y., on Thursday to call for expanded work zone safety measures. The proposals include expanding the state’s 2021 Automated Work Zone Speed Enforcement Program and reclassifying assaults on highway workers from misdemeanors to felonies, according to reporting from WAMC.

Both provisions are included in the governor’s executive budget, WCAX-TV reported.

Currently, the automated speed enforcement program can only be used in work zones located on controlled-access highways. Dominguez is advocations for the program to be expanded to additional roadway types across the state, WAMC reported.

Both outlets reported the program’s early success. No injuries have been recorded in work zones where cameras have been installed, and the cameras can reduce vehicle speeds by up to 30 mph through work zones.

According to WCAX-TV, the renewed push for additional safety measures comes as Clinton County, New York — where Plattsburgh is located — is considering its own policy to slow speeds in work zones.

Another proposed measure would elevate assault and harassment against highway workers from a misdemeanor to a felony, bringing the charges in line with those for other public employees, WAMC reported. Dominguez said highway workers have faced threatening behavior in work zones, including incidents where drivers exited their vehicles and assaulted workers.

The commissioner also noted that 58 DOT workers have died on the job “over the years,” WAMC reported.

According to data from New York State’s website, 450 work zone intrusions were reported statewide in 2024, resulting in four fatalities and 161 injuries to highway workers and vehicle occupants.

Sources: WAMC, WCAX-TV, New York State