Published on March 05, 2019
The City Council took action during their meeting on Tuesday, March 5, to authorize a school zone safety camera pilot at Rose Hill Elementary School and Kamiakin Middle School/John Muir Elementary School. Aside from the goal of traffic safety, the secondary goal of the project is to encourage people to use alternative modes to school (walk, bike) other than automobiles. The pilot is scheduled to begin in September at the beginning of the 2019-2020 school year, and only warnings will be issued for the first 30 days that the cameras are in operation. Photo enforcement cameras will operate 30 minutes before and after the start of school and 30 minutes before and after the end of school (based on individual school start and stop times). Cameras near John Muir Elementary and Kamiakan Middle School will overlap to allow enforcement consistent with each school’s start and stop times. Cameras will not operate when school is not in session, and signs will be placed to clearly indicate to drivers that they are entering a zone where traffic laws are enforced by an automated traffic safety camera. The fine for exceeding the school zone speed limit (20 mph) for speeds over 25 mph will be at $136 per incident. A graduated fine of $250 per incident will be issued for speeds over 30 mph. All fines will go to the City and will be used first to cover the cost of the enforcement program. Any revenue in excess of the cost of program will go to costs associated with traffic safety personnel and projects in the Transportation Capital Improvement Plan, Neighborhood Safety Program, and Safer Routes to School Action Plans that improve school safety and pedestrian and bicycle safety, including but not limited to, sidewalks, crosswalk improvements, lighting, rapid flashing beacons, bicycle facilities, trails and signage. The two pilot locations were chosen based on information regarding traffic volumes, speed data and feedback from traffic enforcement officers. Based on the data, two schools were recommended as sites for automated traffic safety cameras – John Muir Elementary/Kamiakin Middle School and Rose Hill Elementary. These two locations had the highest traffic volumes and incidence of excessive speed. For more information please see the FAQ on the City website, http://bit.ly/SchoolZoneCameraFAQ , or contact Kellie Stickney at kstickney@kirklandwa.gov.
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