Kenmore will get mobile traffic safety cameras
Kenmore will use mobile traffic safety cameras. The council will vote on the locations where they can be stationed later this month.
At the June 9 meeting, the Kenmore council approved the use of mobile traffic speed enforcement cameras that would be relocated every two months instead of being fixed in one location.
WSDOT recently began using mobile traffic enforcement cameras to enforce speed limits in work zones, but the systems are uncommon in the region. They have been successfully used in Europe and some places in the U.S., such as Washington DC.
The city plans to add four mobile speed cameras that would be rotated through 16 sites across the city. Even when the mobile cameras are not physically present, the City will keep posted warning signs and speed feedback signs at all locations where the mobile cameras might be deployed.
Councilmember Valerie Sasson said, “Even when the cameras are not in a particular area, all those other deterrent signs will be there all the time, and so the psychological effect, the functional effect, whether or not the camera is on site, is something that we can extrapolate to be a positive safety positive.”
The council voted 5-2 in favor of deploying mobile cameras but postponed approval of the locations until June 23.
Deputy Mayor Melanie O'Cain voted against the motion, saying, “I’m grateful for the safety that these cameras provide.” But, she said, “I have a fundamental um opposition to government surveillance and cameras like this, so I will be voting no.”
Councilmember Jon Culver also voted against the motion and said, “I feel like that's going to be a lot at once. I think that's going to freak people out.”
The city already has five active Kenmore Automated Photo Enforcement (KAPE) cameras: two at Arrowhead Elementary, two at Kenmore Elementary, and a red-light camera at 61st Ave and SR 522. The city will soon activate two more cameras at Inglemoor High School.
The city says KAPE has delivered dramatic reductions in travel speeds and a marked decrease in pedestrian conflicts.
In school zones, average travel speeds have fallen from 36 MPH to 16 MPH while the school zone is active. In November, Kenmore turned on its school zone speed cameras 24/7, decreasing non-school zone hours’ average speeds from 37 MPH to 25 MPH.
Since the red-light camera became active at the 61st Avenue and SR 522 intersection, red-light violations for left-turns have dropped to an average of one per day, and “pedestrian conflicts” have dropped from eleven per hour to one pedestrian near miss roughly every three days.
Gross revenue from Kenmore’s traffic safety camera program exceeded $700,000 in 2024 and is expected to be over $3 million in 2025. After administration costs, the city is required by state law to spend excess revenues on traffic safety projects.
The city spent $250,000 of KAPE revenue on the 73rd Avenue Sidewalks Project and $55,000 was spent on School Zone Upgrades (eg. Flashers). The city plans to spend $625,000 of KAPE funds on the 61st Avenue Sidewalks Project, $250,000 on a Narrow Bike Lane Sweeper, and $1,100,000 is earmarked for the Arrowhead Drive Sidewalks Project and the 80th Avenue NE Ped/Bike project. The city also plans to spend $550,000 from KAPE on “pavement preservation”.
I like the mobile camera / fixed signs idea. Should be cheaper to get the desired effect in a larger area. I hope Shoreline rolls out several cameras all at once, especially in the school zones.