‘Operation Hardhat’ Has Busted Many Central New York Speeders
At the beginning of September, we told you about a new plan to catch highway speeders and violators.
The New York State Police and the State Department of Transportation teamed up for “Operation Hardhat.” Work zone intrusions across New York State are on the rise, and there have been numerous intrusions or dangerous encounters between motorists and construction workers. One in Tioga County was fatal. That’s where “Operation Hardhat" comes in, looking to crack down on work zone violations.
So, keep your eyes peeled. State Trooper patrols have been added to active construction zones, and some police force members are even dressing up in disguise as DOT workers.
Since the plan began, these so-called "Hardhat Cops" have ticketed about 20 drivers in our region. Two successful areas so far: Route 5-S in Frankfort and Route 49 in Marcy.
The crackdown has been successful for cellphone violations, failure to move over, changing lanes unsafely, and seat belt violations.