Maine Lawmakers Advance I-95 Construction Zone Speed Camera Plan

Maine could soon join more than two dozen other states in using speed cameras to slow drivers down in highway construction zones.

According to the Kennebec Journal, a bipartisan proposal to install automated speed control cameras along the Maine Turnpike has advanced out of the Legislature’s Transportation Committee and is now headed to the full House and Senate for votes.

The bill, introduced by Sen. Brad Farrin of Norridgewock, would allow the Maine Turnpike Authority to launch a pilot program through 2029. Up to three camera systems could be installed in active construction zones on the 109-mile stretch of I-95 from Kittery to Augusta, the KJ reported.

Under the proposal, drivers traveling 11 miles per hour or more over the posted work zone speed limit would trigger the system. During an initial rollout period, violators would receive warnings by mail. After that, repeat offenders would face a flat $100 fine per violation. A Maine Department of Public Safety employee would review each image before a citation is issued, and drivers would have the right to appeal.

Supporters argue the cameras are about safety, not revenue. Maine has recorded more than 7,000 work zone crashes over the past decade, and 16 people were killed in work zone crashes between 2020 and 2024. The KJ says that Turnpike officials say other states have seen dramatic drops in violations after installing similar systems.

Opponents, including the ACLU of Maine and the Maine Policy Institute, have raised concerns about privacy and due process.

Lawmakers will now decide whether the pilot program becomes law.