West Seattle stars again in today’s edition of ‘Speeders of the Day’

They didn’t call it that on SPD Blotter this time – instead, the roundup got the headline ‘A Fast Friday’ – but West Seattle and vicinity once again received extra police attention today. They were in the 4700 block of Admiral Way, where SDOT says a signal isn’t warranted, but SPD promised extra patrols; and look, another 84 mph ticket on the West Seattle Bridge:

On Friday, March 18th the Seattle Police Traffic Unit conducted enforcement around the city in accordance with their mission to promote traffic safety through the vigorous enforcement of city and state traffic laws.

In the 4700 block of SW Admiral Way, 12 speeding tickets were issued with a high of 45 mph in the 30 mph zone. Additionally, tickets were issued for no proof of insurance and no front license plate.

The Traffic Unit also worked the area from the 4200 to the 4700 block of 1st Avenue South [map]. Tickets were issued for 67 mph in a 35 zone, 69 mph in a 35 zone and a high of 70 mph in a 35 zone.

The West Seattle Bridge and Highway 99 were also patrolled.

On the West Seattle Bridge, a 45 mph zone, 25 speeding tickets were issued for speeds over 65 mph. Six tickets were issued for speeds over 70 mph, with a high of 84 mph in the 45 mph zone.

On Highway 99, a 50 mph zone, eight tickets were issued for speeds over 70 mph with a high of 75 mph in the 50 mph zone.

All in a day’s work.

Magpie March 18, 2011 (7:15 pm)

Awesome!!

coffee March 18, 2011 (7:44 pm)

Delridge PLEASE! And tbe turn lane is NOT a passing lane!

old timer March 18, 2011 (7:55 pm)

RE: Those tickets on 99 – do they not ticket unless
you exceed 70 mph, or were these 8 over 70 highlighted?
Gee. if the limit is 50, and no ticket until 70. that’s a big window.
Thanks WSB, always something interesting on the site.

Sara March 18, 2011 (8:52 pm)

I am one of the ones who complained about the speed limit on Admiral (and the cops who prey on the many people driving 40 downhill right before a freeway)… however I agree they should hit the west seattle bridge. People RACE across as if their house is on fire. If I’m driving 50mph, guaranteed someone will tailgate me and pass ridiculously fast… then once we get to the light on 35th, we usually end up right next to each other waiting. Haha. :)

j9 March 18, 2011 (8:59 pm)

The logical explanation would be that there were tickets written for speeders in the 51-70mph range, but SPD didn’t think they worth mentioning in this list of “highlights.”

Mike March 18, 2011 (9:03 pm)

Way to go, SPD!

PSPS March 18, 2011 (9:13 pm)

When will they start issuing tickets to the babbling soccer mom, cell phone plastered to her ear, blasting through an occupied crosswalk in her SUV honking her horn? I see dozens of those every day.

Born To Be Mild March 18, 2011 (10:17 pm)

@PSPS: Dozens? I don’t think so…

Born To Be Mild March 18, 2011 (10:25 pm)

To the shiny white VW headed down Admiral who moved right so I could blast down the hill at 32mph, you are soo classy! It was kinda funny when we got to the bottom of the hill and I moved into the right lane and you moved back to the center. Anyway, I appreciate your understanding of lane discipline.

BGJ March 18, 2011 (10:27 pm)

Quit targeting West Seattle residents! Admiral Way should be 35 MPH again!

Kayo March 19, 2011 (6:25 am)

Amen Coffee! Delridge gets crazy. I’ve seen speeders use the center lane to pass people many times which is stupid and dangerous, especially when going 50 mph! I am glad spd is cracking down. Obviously, there is a need for it!

Ricky Bobby March 19, 2011 (8:18 am)

Hooray for more revenue and slow people! Thank little baby Jesus I will be able to sleep again knowing these psychos are behind bars. I think people who exceed the speed limit should get the death penalty, that’s why I’m out there everyday with my toyota camray (you know the one — it has four scratched and dented corners) going 5 miles under in the far left lane with my signal stuck on. It’s all about making sure these maniacs in their fancy SUV’s who are ruining what west Seattle used to be finally slow down to keep from killing all my family members while they plow over them going 100 miles an hour down 35th.

Bill March 19, 2011 (8:26 am)

To those of you who like to speed across the West Seattle Bridge, up and down SW Admiral Way, etc., etc., here’s a suggestion. Trade in your mass of kinetic destruction for a good old-fashion dive bomber.

Karl March 19, 2011 (11:03 am)

@BGJ: The emphasis patrol issued a *dozen* citations at the intersection where “Tatsuo” Nakata was killed. http://www.seattlepi.com/local/292374_briefs15.html

Enid March 19, 2011 (4:09 pm)

Why is all the attention concentrated on Admiral? Double the speed limit is not uncommon on 35th Ave, but the only enforcement we see is an occasional school zone patrol. SPD, bring it on…PLEASE!!

WSB March 19, 2011 (5:04 pm)

The context for Admiral is that recently the Admiral Neighborhood Association, which had been working to get more safety improvements at 47th/Admiral (scene of a high-profile pedestrian death four years ago, among other incidents) was told no, it doesn’t merit a signal – but, we’ll have police do emphasis patrols there from time to time. So I think SPD was making a point of saying they’d been there again.

Merl March 19, 2011 (6:49 pm)

Hmm. Proof the speed limit is too low on the west seattle bridge and 99. Good for revenue, I suppose.

NotMe March 19, 2011 (9:23 pm)

I love the logic of some of the smart people we live amongst: “Proof the speed limit is too low on the West Seattle Bridge and 99.” Uhhhhh… ok, Merl.
.
Enid, I think the concentration is there because there have been some incidents over the last couple years. I know there have been some on 35th and California, but I am not sure if there were deaths resulting of our smart drivers that are proving the speed limit is too low.

Merl March 19, 2011 (10:32 pm)

Cute. I’m more concerned about making sure people can actually operate a vehicle, but there’s little mention of that in this type of debate. I can get a ticket on the bridge for driving safely at 55. I haven’t actually gotten a ticket, mind you, since the one and only ticket of my entire driving career, in 1988, but speaking hypothetically here. Yet the guy following me today in a BMW X6, talking on his phone, with a *schnauser in his lap* (real, this bit) gets no ticket. If you want to talk idiots, I’m ready.

Speeding enforcement like this, viewed in the context of drivers routinely using cell phones, the total lack of any training or standards to operate a motor vehicle in this country, food, latte’s, and pets, is just theater. It makes the people who don’t/won’t actually think about this issue feel a little better, and brings in revenue. That is all.

Should people doing 80 be arrested? Sure. 55 on the bridge? That’s just harassment.

james1 March 19, 2011 (10:48 pm)

“55 on the bridge? That’s just harassment.”
*
Where does it say that people are getting ticketed for driving 55 (ten over) on the West Seattle Bridge?

Merl March 19, 2011 (11:32 pm)

It doesn’t say one way or another. So either there’s a farcical posted limit and a different, higher, “real” limit of 55 that is tacitly agreed upon by everyone and the police, which I suspect is true, or they really do stop people for going 50 our 55 but didn’t point that out in the report. I think it supports my point either way.

Any one know the real average speed of cars driving safely on the bridge? Assuming not stopped in traffic, that is?

What good is a speed limit that no one obeys and isn’t enforced or enforceable?

smw March 19, 2011 (11:41 pm)

@Sara I have to laugh, ocassionally I will make a trip to Westood Village on my way home from work, and the same thing happens to me every time. Wish they could ticket the people going zero to fifty from stop sign to next between Alki and Admiral on ( as someone once posted here) I63rd.

Enid March 20, 2011 (8:32 am)

What kind of logic (or should I say, lack of it) dictates that stupid is OK just because stupider exists…?

Pv March 21, 2011 (2:40 am)

Glad to see SPD give tickets for no front license plate. For some reason drivers of expensive cars feel they are personally exempt from the law because their vehicles look better without a front license plate.

JD March 21, 2011 (3:21 pm)

I’m curious whether anyone has been ticketed on 35th in the area signed “speed enforcement camera” in use (or something along those lines )
There is fairly frequently a white Chevy van with SPD markings on it there, that I can only assume is one of the ones that was purchased for use in school zones ( which I’ve yet to see in any of the ones around my store ) They’re definitely doing something, but not sure if its’ actually doing camera enforcement. Comments?

Kris March 23, 2011 (6:14 am)

Why aren’t the two Papa John’s robbery cases solved yet? Who knows if the hit and run that took place a few days ago on Cali/Dakota will be closed. No one is behind bars for these more important cases. As the safety of WS feels less and less, it’s nice to know the ‘revenue fundraisers’ are more important for good publicity, SPD.

Sorry, comment time is over.