West Seattle red-light camera update: First signs are up

When we first reported eight days ago that SDOT crews had finally put up the two red-light cameras announced 13 months earlier, the city told us that warning signs would follow, “one to two weeks before the cameras begin to operate.” So – here’s your “one- to two-week warning” – the signs you see above are on eastbound Thistle, west of 35th, and they match two signs on westbound Thistle, east of 35th. What we didn’t see this afternoon are: signs on 35th itself (where the 35th/Thistle red-light camera is supposed to be catching southbound red-light runners), nor did we see signs around the other camera, on westbound Avalon east of 35th, but we’ll be watching; let us know if you see them first (editor@westseattleblog.com)!

Scott February 12, 2009 (6:04 pm)

Now if someone would start watching that left hand turn on southbound 35th to eastbound Avalon between 3-7PM where the sign says that it is prohibited… backs up traffic into the previous intersection and too many near accidents from folks trying to get around those doing the left hand turn in front of 7-11.

Todd February 12, 2009 (7:37 pm)

You said it Scott! I was just going to make the same comment.

I have also noticed more and more people turning left from northbound 35th to westbound Fauntleroy.

WTF February 12, 2009 (8:09 pm)

Not to mention those who make illegal turns across solid double yellow lines in the middle of 35th.

Hello February 12, 2009 (8:49 pm)

for WTF–

This is a pet peeve of mine: IT IS NOT ILLEGAL TO TURN LEFT ACROSS A DOUBLE YELLOW LINE!

The only time you cannot turn left across yellow lines is when they, the double yellow lines, are (I think this is the number) 18″ wide. Normal double yellow lines (or stripes) are NOT illegal to cross with a left turn!!

Justin February 13, 2009 (9:21 am)

Hello is correct.

http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/seattle911/archives/151987.asp

big gulps,eh? well, see ya later. February 13, 2009 (9:33 am)

Big Brother is watching you.
George Orwell

Mike D. February 13, 2009 (10:10 am)

Interesting comment on the complete disregard for signage that has been installed on 35th stating No Left Turn or No Right Turn. Seems to be a growing trend city wide. As far as I am concerned SPD has a green light to do a major crackdown on even the most minor of violations to send a signal to the public that the nonsense needs to stop.

Due to the number of clueless drivers inability to obey the No Left and No Right Turn signs that were installed a year and a half ago at the intersection of 22nd and 23rd Avenues SW, City of Seattle taxpayers will be shelling out $25,000 to build a traffic island and ‘choker’ at this intersection to prevent the clowns that seem to think that the traffic laws don’t apply to them.

Neighbor driven traffic studies, including radar gun speed check, logging of license plate numbers and a petition effort pushed SDOT to do its own studies which concluded that the No Left/No Right Turn signs were warranted. Warranted because speeding idiots were, and still are, using what in essence is a one lane road with no sidewalk as a means to short-cut and drop maybe 45 seconds from their trip time via the fully developed arterial known as Delridge Way.

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=22nd+and+23rd+ave+sw+seattle&ie=UTF8&split=0&gl=us&ei=rZiVSe28Oor2sAPa4_2xBw&ll=47.560908,-122.361415&spn=0.002121,0.005171&t=h&z=18&layer=c&cbll=47.560822,-122.361346&panoid=RTG-BCN9JWPqQEViKx9Q6Q&cbp=12,322.8728338890407,,0,9.272319581571505

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=22nd+and+23rd+ave+sw+seattle&ie=UTF8&split=0&gl=us&ei=rZiVSe28Oor2sAPa4_2xBw&ll=47.560691,-122.361538&spn=0.002121,0.005171&t=h&z=18&layer=c&cbll=47.560784,-122.361534&panoid=N81YCKXIytPnlcbKbsYKgg&cbp=12,28.666555445241332,,0,11.301671382817968

j February 13, 2009 (11:07 am)

I crack up everytime when I see the pedestrian sign just before these new signs that says Stop for me- It’s the (C)law. Defacing- yes, funny- also yes!

Keaver February 13, 2009 (11:22 am)

I hope someone is watching to see if the yellow light time decreases after they put in the cameras. I like the safety goal of the cameras. I don’t like the revenue goal and how that starts to change protection behavior into revenue generating behavior.

Left Turner February 13, 2009 (12:43 pm)

Well of course there aren’t warning signs southbound on 35th, this would prevent them from making money!

Left Turner February 13, 2009 (12:44 pm)

And two signs on Thistle? Two GIANT signs? What a flippin waste of money…

austin February 13, 2009 (12:55 pm)

Re: Todd: “more and more people turning left from northbound 35th to westbound Fauntleroy.” No kidding. A woman in a dark bmw convertible recently almost got my butt in her windshield making that illegal turn and blowing through my occupied crosswalk. It’s only a matter of time. Why do drivers think that shrugging at the person they almost ran down is an acceptable replacement for attentive driving?