My take: EV fees and 896-I95 update

 DelDOT's Division of Motor Vehicles sent out notices this month noting that drivers would be required to pay the fee by Nov. 1 

After objections from the Delaware Speaker of the House, DelDOT reversed course. Now, the fees will be assessed when the vehicle registration comes due.

For many drivers of newer EVs and hybrids, the surcharge won't come due for years. Owners often opt for multi-year registration fees when buying a new vehicle.

The change will blow a small hole in the transportation budget, given the growth in battery-powered or battery-assisted vehicles.

However, the outcry over the fees likely contributed to the speaker's decision, which may lead to tougher decisions down the road.

Progress on Route 896-1-95 project

DelDOT also announced last week that a northbound "flyover" ramp, which will take vehicles from southbound College Avenue in Newark (Route 896) to northbound I-95, will open next week (around September 25, weather permitting).

 Late last spring, a ramp from southbound I-95 to southbound Route 896 opened.

 The Route 896 I-95 project is an impressive feat of engineering that will make a difference in reducing the accident rate around the interchange. The opening of southbound I-95 and Route 896 has already led to a decrease in crashes, according to WDEL.

One controversial aspect of the project, as voiced in social media posts, is the use of speed cameras, which have generated millions of dollars in fines.

The technology was first employed in the I-95 Wilmington project, which saw its share of pile-ups.

WDEL also reported that DelDOT estimates the speed cameras have reduced accidents in the work zone by 19% since last July, and also led to a drop in average speeds. Fines are triggered when vehicles exceed the speed limit by 11 miles per hour.

 Based on the success of speed cameras, we can expect their expanded use in construction zones and in areas with high rates of accidents and speeding. - Doug Rainey, chief content officer.