First came the paint, now comes the enforcement.
As with several rapid transit lanes across the city, the Department of Transportation will begin cracking down on cars illegally parked or driving in the dedicated bus lane on Fresh Pond Road in Ridgewood.
The DOT will begin issuing bus lane camera violations along the Q58 bus route in the southbound direction on Fresh Pond Road after a 60-day warning period, set to begin Monday, Oct. 7.
The agency began its experiments with the technology in March when it launched the program that began equipping the front end of buses in Manhattan and Brooklyn with cameras that can automatically detect and ticket cars that ahead of them.
Since state legislators passed a bill making it possible expanding the camera systems to any streets with bus lanes in June, the DOT has implemented cameras in at least 13 other rapid transit lines across the city.
Starting October 7th, we’re speeding up your ride. pic.twitter.com/VnH66s57Mp
— NYCT Bus (@NYCTBus) September 23, 2019
The first violation will cost $50, with fines increasing with additional violations over a 12-month period to a maximum of $250.
On Aug. 27, the agency began service on the Fresh Pond Road bus lane, which is enforced from 3 to 7 p.m. weekdays in the southbound direction. The bus lane overcame a potential legal hurdle last week when a Queens State Supreme Court Judge denied a proceeding to remove the bus lane.
The DOT said in a statement that they have found the bus lane camera enforcement to help improve overall travel speeds.
“Bus routes with camera enforcement and other bus priority treatments have improved speeds between 7 percent and 31 percent,” a DOT spokesperson said in a statement.
