DelDOT to add speed camera on Route 1 near Nassau
A speed camera will be installed on Route 1 near the Nassau Bridge this fall.
Delaware Department of Transportation spokesman Charles “CR” McLeod said it will be Sussex County’s first. It will be in the area of Minos Conaway Road, in the middle of the work area for the grade-separated interchange.
Currently, there are only two speed cameras in Delaware – each on I-95 in the Route 896 interchange work zone.
Requests from members of the public played a large part in the decision, McLeod said.
“It’s something we’ve been asked about by the local communities who are concerned about speeding,” he said. “And we think it’s warranted given the project now underway there to keep speeds within the range of the posted speed limit.”
Revenue from the fines collected as part of the program are received and managed by DelDOT; they cover expenditures related to the program. In the event that all expenditures related to the program are covered and excess revenue remains, McLeod said that excess revenue is transferred to the Delaware Office of Highway Safety and may be utilized only for transportation safety purposes under any of the following categories: education, enforcement, engineering or administrative expenses.
McLeod said the speed camera will follow the same fine structure as the I-95/896 cameras. The first 21 days of the program will be a warning period. After the warning period, registered vehicle owners receiving a first offense will receive a base violation of $20 with an additional amount added for each mile per hour over the posted speed limit in accordance with Delaware Code.
For example, if the captured violation occurs at a speed of 66 mph in a 55 mph zone, the speed violation is $20 plus an additional $11. The fine also includes assessment of other fees as set forth in Delaware Code for a total of $118. Second and subsequent offenses are higher, per Delaware Code. These violations are civil penalties only and no points will be assessed to drivers’ licenses.
A pilot program for speed cameras took place on I-95 in Wilmington from January 2022 to November 2022 during a project called Restore the Corridor. Data from that pilot program showed a 46% decrease in total crashes and a 38% decrease in injury crashes compared to the same time period in 2021. Overall speeds through the Restore the Corridor construction zone decreased by more than 5 mph on average after the program began.
Former Gov. John Carney signed a bill creating the Electronic Speed Safety Program in 2023. Under Delaware code, DelDOT may approve the installation and use of an electronic speed monitoring system to be installed and used to record images of a motor vehicle traveling in a work zone, or in a residential area in either New Castle County or a municipality.
For a violation to occur, a vehicle must exceed the posted speed limit by 11 mph or more.
Nick Roth is the news editor. He has been with the Cape Gazette since 2012, previously covering town beats in Milton and Lewes. In addition to serving on the editorial board and handling page layout, Nick is responsible for the weekly Delaware History in Photographs feature and enjoys writing stories about the Cape Region’s history. Prior to the Cape Gazette, Nick worked for the Delmarva Media Group, including the Delaware Wave, Delaware Coast Press and Salisbury Daily Times. He also contributed to The News Journal. Originally from Boyertown, Pa., Nick attended Shippensburg University in central Pennsylvania, graduating in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He’s won several MDDC awards during his career for both writing and photography. In his free time, he enjoys golfing, going to the beach with his family and cheering for Philadelphia sports teams.
