As of July 1, Washington’s cities and towns have newly expanded authority to install automated traffic safety cameras to enforce speed limits. Previously, city use of such cameras was highly restricted, with the exception of cameras placed in school
speed zones. Now, under the Move Ahead Washington transportation package passed earlier this year, cities are permitted four new uses to install safety cameras.
Building on the authority to locate traffic cameras in school speed zones, under the new provisions, cities may also place them along walking routes to schools, in city park speed zones, and hospital speed zones.
The fourth permitted use is an entirely new authority, allowing cities to operate at least one automated traffic safety camera to detect speed violations, and one additional camera for every 10,000 residents. Cameras must be placed in locations that comply
with one of the following:
- The location has been identified as a priority location in a local road safety plan that a city has submitted to the state department of transportation and where other speed reduction measures are not feasible or have not been effective at reducing
travel speed;
- The location has a significantly higher rate of collisions than the city average in a period of at least three years prior to installation and other speed reduction measures are not feasible or have not been effective at reducing travel speed; or
- The location is in an area within the city limits designated by local ordinance as a zone subject to specified restrictions and penalties on racing and race attendance.
A city installing an automated camera for one of the above purposes must complete an equity analysis that evaluates livability, accessibility, economics, education, and environmental health, and must consider the outcome of that analysis when identifying where to locate an automated traffic safety camera.
The provisions can be found in Section 423 of SB 5974. Given the somewhat complicated nature of the legislation, AWC advises that cities engage legal counsel to conduct a careful analysis if interested in making use of this new authority.