Speed camera comes to Beltway in Prince George's County

A mobile speeding camera is now on the Beltway in Prince George's County to deter speeders through construction zones.

The camera system, which will be located on Interstate 495 near the Suitland Road Bridge, is expected to be around for at least three years during the course of a construction project.

If you're caught driving more than 12 mph over the speed limit, which with current speeds in the area is 67 mph or higher, you can expect at $40 ticket in the mail.

Since the camera just went into operation on Monday, authorities are allowing a grace period until Aug. 6. Until then, drivers will receive a warning, not a ticket.

But after the grace period, drivers can expect a ticket.

"You have so much traffic on the Beltway, over 200,000 cars a day, and in this part of Prince George's County the traffic count has increased and so the risks are greater," John Towsend, spokesman for AAA Mid-Atlantic explained. "Because there's so much congestion, people are speeding and this is one of the straightest parts of the Beltway, so it's like a speedway, it's like the Indianapolis 500 out here."

During the course of the construction project, the camera, which is currently the only speed camera on the Beltway, may change locations depending on the work that is being done. Officials said it could be along the Inner Loop or Outer Loop of the Beltway by Exit 9 for Allentown Road.

The camera system isn't just for the safety of construction workers as, according to officials, statistics show it's a driver or passenger who dies or gets hurt in four out of five work-zone related crashes. Authorities said speeding violations have decreased by more than 90 percent in Maryland "Safe Zones."