The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PA Turnpike) and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) received the 2025 Grand Conceptor Engineering Excellence Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Pennsylvania (ACEC/PA) for its ongoing efforts to support work zone safety. The PA Turnpike and PennDOT share this recognition with RK&K, which serves as the program administrator for this project.

The Grand Conceptor Award is the ACEC/PA's highest honor and was presented Jan. 23 during the organization's Diamond Awards for Engineering Excellence event in Lancaster. The event recognized projects across the commonwealth that exemplified superior safety, innovation, and engineering quality.

PA Turnpike and PennDOT were recognized for the statewide Work Zone Speed Safety Camera program, launched in partnership with PSP in March 2024. Previously referred to as Automated Work Zone Speed Enforcement, the initial five-year pilot program became permanent when Gov. Josh Shapiro signed House Bill 1284 into law on Dec. 14, 2023.

Pennsylvania's Work Zone Speed Safety Camera program uses vehicle-mounted, electronic speed timing devices to detect and record motorists exceeding posted work zone speed limits by 11 miles per hour or more. Camera systems are only operational in active work zones where workers are present. Registered owners receive warning letters for the first offense, a violation notice with a fine for a second offense, and a violation notice with a larger fine for third and subsequent offenses. The violations are civil penalties with no points assessed to drivers' licenses.

During the five-year pilot program, participating work zones saw a reduction in speeding, and work zone crashes also declined when a speed enforcement vehicle was present.

Reducing crashes within work zones and protecting highway workers from the traveling public is top priority for the PA Turnpike. As part of this commitment, the PA Turnpike has a dedicated task force that focuses on construction zones, crash analysis, and near-real-time adjustments to working conditions.

Stemming from this task force, the PA Turnpike and PennDOT joined forces again this fall, developing a New Driver Work Zone Safety Program. The free, 35-minute virtual training program teaches new drivers how to navigate work zones with confidence and safety. To learn more, visit https://tinyurl.com/NewDriverWorkZoneSafety.

For more information about the PA Turnpike, visit http://www.paturnpike.com.