Date: February 1, 2010
Community and Government Affairs
City of Lake Forest Park
206-368-5440
News Release
Traffic Safety Camera Update
The traffic safety cameras are intended to slow traffic in school zones--the areas where children are most likely to be on their way to and from school.
• What was the situation before the cameras were in place?
The City placed counters on 178th Street and on 35th Ave NE. In one week over 11,000 vehicles exceeded the posted speed limit on 178th Street and almost 5,000 vehicles exceeded the posted speed on 35th Avenue NE.
Residents on both of these streets have complained and have sought ways to reduce the speed of vehicles.
• Why is it important to reduce speeds in school zones?
Children in school zones are not always seen by drivers. Cameras that operate during the times when children are most likely to be present reduce the risk of injury.
The National Traffic Safety Board reports that a vehicle – pedestrian accident at 30 mph is eight times more likely to result in serious injury or death than the the same accident at 20 mph.
Accidents are more likely tobe preventable at lower speeds also.
• What is the impact of the cameras?
The cameras have reduced significantly the speed of the vehicles traveling on these roadways. Residents have learned to reduce speeds in the school zones.
More than 80% of the offenders are drivers speeding through our City, who are not residents.
• How do the finances for the cameras work?
Speed cameras are paid for by violators; no tax dollars are used for camera operations. The City pays a fee of $1.50 per citation for the processing of each citation. The processing is done out of state much like credit card payments. This is less costly than purchasing the equipment and paying for City staff to operate the equipment. The City pays a monthly lease fee for the equipment of $4,750 per site. The City general fund receives all camera enforcement fines. This revenue has reduced the need to cut staff and services in the City.
A full-fledged evaluation of the traffic safety cameras is scheduled for September of 2010 when the cameras have been in effect a year.
