At the June 24 meeting, the City Council gave staff direction to expand the Kenmore Automated Photo Enforcement (KAPE) program. The KAPE program was first approved by Council in 2022, and launched in 2023 with school zone speeding violations in the Kenmore Elementary school zone on 73rd Avenue and the Arrowhead Elementary school zone on Juanita Drive.
The KAPE school zones have now completed their first whole school-year of normal operations, and the number of drivers traveling 6+ mph over the school zone speed limit has reduced from more than 95% of drivers to only 1.5% of drivers. The average speed of travel in these school zones exceeded 30 mph before photo enforcement began, and with photo enforcement in place the average speed has fallen to 20 mph.
Earlier this year the City also began red-light enforcement at the 61st Avenue and Bothell Way intersection for eastbound-to-northbound left turns – red light violations related to this turning movement previously resulted in 80% of pedestrians crossing the north leg having near-misses with drivers running the red light during high traffic hours. Although this location is still in its warning period, red light violations for this movement have dropped to less than one per week.
Based on the established success of the KAPE program, the City Council directed staff to expand the KAPE program as follows:
Expand photo enforcement at all KAPE school zones to also enforce the regulatory speed limit (30 mph) when the school zone is not active.
Implement photo enforcement for the Inglemoor High school zone on Simonds Road for the enforcement of the school zone speed limit as well as the regulatory speed limit.
Adjust fines by $10 in 2025 to offset increases in program expenses.
An ordinance to adopt changes to the Kenmore Municipal Code which support expansion of the KAPE program will be brought to City Council at the September 16 City Council meeting. Changes to existing KAPE school zones are expected to be implemented before the end of 2024, and photo enforcement in the Inglemoor High school zone is expected to begin in the first half of 2025. Read the full article here or visit the KAPE webpage for additional information.
Source: Kenmore eNews
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