Metro’s board has given the green light to a plan to equip buses in D.C. with cameras that are meant to catch motorists illegally using bus lanes or blocking bus stops.
It’s called the Clear Lanes Project, and Metro will team up with the District Department of Transportation to catch and mail citations to violators.
Earlier this month, Metro announced the project, which it believes will tackle congestion seen in bus lanes caused by other drivers not leaving the lanes clear for buses. The transit agency said, right now, buses only travel an average of 9.8 mph, and the hope is discouraging bus lane blocking will improve service times.
The project is already in the testing phase, according to WMATA, and involves two cameras being placed in the bus, which snap images of the violation and the violator’s license plate. The images are then transmitted to DDOT, which will oversee the sending out of citations and the collection of fines.
Metro has said the plan will begin sending out citations as soon as this fall.
Metro will spend $4.6 million to buy and maintain the cameras. D.C. will spend $3.1 million on the program as well.
Starting this year, 140 buses will get cameras, with an additional 140 buses having them installed each year after. By around 2023, 600 buses will have cameras installed and operational.
