(The Center Square) – The Seattle City Council has unanimously approved a bill that establishes a new financial policy for traffic enforcement cameras, directing local revenue to transportation projects that prioritize traffic, bicycle and pedestrian safety.
Under the newly passed legislation, all revenue generated from tickets issued from school zone cameras will be directed toward school traffic and pedestrian safety infrastructure and safety education campaigns.
Approximately 20% of revenue generated from red light cameras will go toward school traffic and pedestrian safety infrastructure, as well as safety education campaigns. The remaining funds will support the city’s general fund.
Half of the revenue from cameras that catch drivers pulling into crosswalks or an intersection on a red light – “blocking the box” – is to be deposited into the Washington State Cooper Jones Bicycle Safety Awareness Program account, which seeks to improve the safety of people who utilize active transportation by decreasing the number of deaths and serious injuries among walkers, bicyclists and users of other non-motorized methods of transportation.
The remaining local funding from block-the-box cameras is to go to transportation improvements that support access and mobility for people with disabilities.
Half of generated revenue from lane restriction cameras will also be deposited into the Cooper Jones account, with the remaining local funding to be directed into transportation improvements that support access and mobility for people with disabilities.
Half of speed enforcement camera revenue is to be deposited into the Cooper Jones account. Under the new policy, the remaining local funding is directed to transportation improvements that support traffic safety, bicycle safety and pedestrian safety. Absent this policy, the remaining local funding would be directed to the general fund.
According to the legislation, camera revenues may also be used to support the cost of implementing and administering the camera programs.
Seattle officials have worked to increase the number of traffic safety cameras throughout the city this year. This includes installing speed enforcement cameras in parts of the city that are heavily impacted by unsafe driving with the intention of doubling the number of fixed cameras that enforce 20 mph school zone speed limits.
Seattle’s 2023- 2024 Adopted Budget provided $3.2 million in funding for the Seattle Police Department to develop a plan to double the number of cameras deployed in school zones from 35 to 70 cameras.
The city has used automated traffic safety cameras for red light enforcement at 23 locations and fixed school zone enforcement at 19 locations.
There are also two ongoing pilot camera programs: block-the-box enforcement at four locations and transit lane enforcement at five locations.
