Published December 30 2014
The City of Bellevue will activate three additional red light photo enforcement cameras on January 1, as well as one additional school zone speed camera later in January.
In March, the Police Department recommended to the City Council the additional cameras to improve safety at two more major intersections along Northeast Eighth Street and at Sunset Elementary School. This recommendation was based upon accident and speed data gathered from those locations.
After careful consideration, the council approved the additional cameras, which will be at:
- Northeast Eighth Street at 112th Avenue Northeast (eastbound and westbound) -- red light;
- Northeast Eighth Street at 116th Avenue Northeast (westbound only) -- red light; and
- Sunset Elementary School, 4400 West Lake Sammamish Parkway Southeast (southbound only) -- school zone.
In an effort to improve traffic safety at busy intersections and school zones, in 2009 and 2010 the city council approved installing cameras to catch red-light runners and school-zone speeders. As the city continues to grow, more children are walking to school, and more drivers are on the road. These cameras are in place to help keep Bellevue's traffic crash rate among the lowest in the state.
Police data shows the previously installed cameras in Bellevue have changed driver behavior and increased safety. The number of infractions from both speed and red-light cameras has decreased from 22,798 in 2010 to 11,956 in 2013. The additional cameras are building on that success.
Photo enforcement infractions result in a $124 fine. Infractions issued by photo are not moving violations, and will not appear on an offender's driving record. There will be a one-month grace period for drivers caught by the new cameras, during which time they will receive warnings in the mail rather than citations. The grace period begins January 1, 2015, for the three new red light cameras, and will begin on the date the new school speed camera at Sunset Elementary is activated, likely later in January.