Starting Wednesday, Sept. 4, the City of Edmonds’ school zone speed camera systems will be operational and recording violations during targeted school hours. The hours that the cameras are active coincide with the school schedule. Cameras are programmed to be active when the warning beacons are flashing.
Speed camera equipment is operational in the following school zones:
• Southbound 76th Avenue West (south of 212th Street Southwest) at Edmonds-Woodway High School
• Eastbound 212th Street Southwest (west of 76th Avenue West) at Edmonds-Woodway High School
• Westbound 220th Street Southwest (west of 95th Avenue West) at Westgate Elementary School
• Southbound 100th Avenue West (south of SR-104) at Scriber Lake High School
• Southbound 84th Avenue West (south of 212th Street Southwest) at Chase Lake Elementary School
Infractions in school zone camera enforcementsystems are treated like parking tickets and will cost the registered owner of the vehicle $130. School zone safety remains a top priority for the Edmonds Police Department, the city said in a news release. In addition to the camera enforcement systems, Edmonds police will continue to have a presence and conduct speed enforcement in all school zones, the city said.
For more information, visit the city website.
If school safety was top priority, Edmonds would be building sidewalks with the money as most of the neighborhoods where these cameras are lack sidewalks, traffic calming measures, crossing signs, protected crossing, and even basics like well painted road lines. The mayor clearly has a priority: revenue, not safety. Maybe he should try to visit some of these neighborhoods that pay taxes into Edmonds but remain extremely underserved by the improvements we see go into the affluent bowl. Just the other day I saw yet another sidewalk and brand new pavement being laid at the bowling miles away from the nearest school. Meanwhile I see kids walking on a grassy ditch trying to get to school because the city continues it’s policy of neglect.
For people who don’t have kids in school. Maybe publishing the school times would help. This way we will have an idea when to be more alert for kids before the flashing lights.
The cameras have been in place long enough to draw some conclusions. Has there been a decrease in the number of violators speeding through school zones? How much money has been collected to date from these violations? How many issued tickets have been paid or remain unpaid? Is the city still generating revenue on the cameras if there’s been such a substantial decrease? The city has maintained radio silence on these issues, and it would be beneficial to receive some updates on the actual situation.