Kenmore to expand photo-enforcement with mobile cameras; council approves intermittent deployments but delays site list

Kenmore staff recommended expanding the city’s automated photo-enforcement (CAPE) program on Monday, proposing a mix of fixed and transportable camera deployments, a 30-minute limit on repeat infractions, and use of program revenue for sidewalks and safety projects. The council approved intermittent (transportable) camera use but postponed approval of the full site list to June 23 for further staff prioritization.

Traffic engineer Tobin Benagold summarized two years of program data, saying the city has observed large mean-speed reductions where CAPE operates. Benagold told the council that school-zone enforcement reduced mean speed from about 36 miles per hour to 16 miles per hour in active school zones and that citywide regulatory enforcement had reduced mean speeds in 30-mph zones from roughly 37 mph to about 25 mph. He framed the program’s goal as crash- and fatality-risk reduction and described a complementary approach that pairs engineering and enforcement.

Key safety and fiscal points presented by staff

- Reported safety effects: Benagold said the school-zone mean-speed reduction “reduces our risk of fatal crash by 95 percent” and a regulatory-speed mean reduction from 37 to 25 mph reduces crash risk and “our risk of fatal crashes by nearly 3 quarters.” He emphasized the preventive role of school-zone enforcement. - Violation and revenue trends: ticket volumes fell quickly after warning periods; staff use a long-term projected violation rate of 0.2% to plan sustainable program revenue. Benagold said the program’s financial plan assumes a long-term violation rate of 0.2% and would be at risk to meet financial…