Lake Forest Park and Shoreline officials discuss expanding camera program, sidewalks and Safe Routes grant strategy

Lake Forest Park Mayor Tom Price and Shoreline School officials on May 8 discussed expanding speed-camera coverage and short-term pedestrian measures near Brookside Elementary and Lakehurst Park Elementary to reduce vehicle speeds and improve routes to school.

The discussion focused on data from an existing camera corridor and plans to use revenues — which the mayor said state statute requires be spent on pedestrian and multimodal safety in the areas where they are generated — to fund 10% engineering work that would make projects eligible for Safe Routes to School grants. “We don't look at revenue numbers from a success standpoint. We look at the speed numbers,” Mayor Tom Price said, adding the corridor’s average speed fell “from an average speed of over 31 miles an hour in the corridor down to 23 and a quarter.”

Why it matters: officials said slowing vehicle speeds and completing pedestrian connections around the two elementary schools are priorities because they affect students, families and other residents who walk or bike in the corridors. The council and school board framed the effort as joint, in part to increase competitiveness for state grant funding and to coordinate construction and interim safety measures.

Most important facts: Price said the city will pursue interim, low-cost measures and seek 10% engineering to enable grant applications for the Brookside and Lakehurst Park corridors. He also said the city expects to present proposals to city council about expanding the safety-camera program in the coming weeks. “Proposals will be made to the council about how to expand the safety camera program,” Price said. Officials named WSDOT’s upcoming culvert work on Ballinger Way as a near-term traffic disruptor that could increase traffic on neighborhood streets and added pressure for temporary measures.

Supporting details: School Board Director Sarah Cohen asked whether the district had analysis of how infrastructure changes might shift family travel choices (for example, increasing walking). Superintendent Susana Reyes said the district lacks resources for districtwide route studies but that Safe Routes grants and camera-generated revenues could help pursue systemic improvements and walking-bus programs. “One mile radius is a good area to keep in mind,” Cohen said, noting state definitions of walk zones and the district’s practice of not providing buses within a one-mile radius except for students with disabilities.

Officials discussed a mix of interim treatments (protected shoulders/curb-separated shoulders) and longer-term sidewalks or roundabout construction. Price said some lower-cost “protected shoulders” will likely be used more than full sidewalks to make limited funds go farther. He also described a planned roundabout and pedestrian islands to improve crossings in an area slated for a roundabout next year.

Coordination and funding: multiple participants urged a three-way partnership — Lake Forest Park, Shoreline and the Shoreline School District — for Safe Routes or other state grant applications. Price said the city intends to use camera revenues and engineering work to make grant applications competitive; he referenced the city’s 2017 safe-streets study identifying Brookside and Lakehurst Park corridors as top priorities.

Constraints and next steps: Participants noted limits on local authority when state routes and WSDOT projects are involved and that some work will depend on WSDOT scheduling and staffing. Price said the city had reduced posted speed limits in several legacy roads and would pursue additional camera placements on state routes where statute now allows them, but staff cautioned that WSDOT coordination and funding availability remain uncertain. The council planned to receive a transportation engineering report and camera-expansion proposals in the coming weeks.