SDOT confirms West Seattle’s next school-zone speed camera will be on Delridge by the Boren Building

| Delridge | Safety | West Seattle news

SDOT‘s been saying for months that it was about to announce its next round of school-zone speed cameras, and every time we’ve checked with them, they’ve said the most likely contender in West Seattle would be Delridge Way, by the Boren Building (home to STEM and interim home, for one more year, to Arbor Heights Elementary). Now it’s official. Just in from SDOT:

To reduce speeding and improve safety for school children, contractors working for the City of Seattle will begin installing speed enforcement cameras for six schools starting Monday, June 15.

[The only West Seattle location is]:

* Delridge Way SW for K-5 STEM at Boren

Once functional the cameras will take photos of vehicles that exceed the school zone speed limit of 20 m.p.h., and drivers will receive citations in the mail. The school zone speed limit is in effect for approximately one hour in the morning as students arrive at school and one hour in the afternoon when students are dismissed. Flashing beacons have been installed to emphasize the times when the school zone speed limit is in effect.

The camera installation work will occur from June through August. Seattle Police will issue warnings for 30 days beginning September 9 and will start issuing citations on October 9.

See the full announcement, including the other five new camera sites around the city, by going here. West Seattle already has three school-zone speed cameras: Fauntleroy Way by Gatewood Elementary, and two on SW Roxbury, by Roxhill Elementary and Holy Family Bilingual Catholic School.

West Seattle Hipster June 12, 2015 (3:41 pm)

Not a school zone, but I would love to see one of those cameras on Holden by EC Hughes Playfield. Mayor Murray’s trip to Israel would be paid off in a week.

Joe Szilagyi June 12, 2015 (3:54 pm)

Wonderful news! It’s a shame they’re limited to when kids are “present”. In some other states it’s that plus whenever school or school functions are in session, which is far better for us a whole.

PSPS June 12, 2015 (4:14 pm)

This news will start the champagne corks popping at the camera vendor’s offices in Arizona. (They get $50 per ticket.)

Ray June 12, 2015 (4:50 pm)

How much the vendor gets is irrelevant.

Getting a ticket is fully optional. If you do not speed, you do not get one. Very simple to avoid it.

LyndaB June 12, 2015 (5:17 pm)

They should hook one up to catch the people who violate the BUS only lane to pass the traffic on the WS bridge.

Evergreen June 12, 2015 (7:05 pm)

‘Bout time, awesome!

tim June 12, 2015 (7:53 pm)

I agree with the camera’s. I’m tired of getting tailgated due to the fact I slow to 20 mph. Kids are in our path slow done.

Alan June 12, 2015 (11:04 pm)

I’d like to see a camera at 16th and Myrtle. I would move over so those that want the tickets could have them.

Kayo June 13, 2015 (7:25 am)

I am so happy about this! I’ve been passed by speeders many times on Delridge who are going 50 mph using the center turn lane. This should hopefully catch some of those maniacs.

Alan June 13, 2015 (10:03 am)

I typically go five over the speed limit. In spite of that, people aggressively tailgate me and then pass in the turn lane (Delridge) or pass on the right, in a school zone (16th). I’m not sure when this became the norm.

Trudy June 13, 2015 (1:54 pm)

I am so happy for this. Will those passing using the center lane also get a ticket? Can we get the fine doubled in school zones? Someone doing this at a crosswalk on Delridge took the life of Marcus Anderson, see sign by Super 24.We walk our daughter to school and want her as safe as possible.

Chris June 14, 2015 (6:18 am)

I live near a school zone, one I think is entirely inadequately signed, and since the school is tucked away a half-block off the arterial there’s no visual reminder from a building.

I’d like to see variable-speed school zones go away. Instead, I’d like them to be replaced with a PERMANENT 20mpg zone, and speed cushions installed at the boundary of the school zone, in ALL directions.

And I don’t even have kids – can’t imagine what I’d feel like if I was a parent!

j June 14, 2015 (8:57 am)

Can someone please explain how shipping millions of dollars out of state to American Traffic Solutions in Tempe, Arizona is good for Washington/Seattle economics? Seriously.
How much has the city collected to date and where have the funds been used?
Can someone tell me how many fines have been levied to American Traffic Solutions when their sign on Roxbury malfunctions? The flashing lights were on two Saturdays in a row in the morning. There wasn’t a soul to be seen.(no child present). Signs/cameras on once again at noon and no pedestrians around. Did people get ticketed during these illegal operations?
Why is there no blinking light facing drivers at the END of school zones? In my opinion this would only increase safety and better alert drivers.
There is a stop light in the middle of the school zone on Roxbury. People forget they are in the school zone because crossing guard is gone and all kids are inside and they leave the green light normal and get a ticket. Witnessed this numerous times. These are people who properly slowed entering zone not evil speed demons. Seems a little unfair.
Furthermore if you drive from the side street to Roxbury you have no idea the speed zone is functioning. There should be blinking signage on all side streets that enter any auto-ticketing zone. Am I wrong? Is it fair to unknowingly enter a school zone, see no kids, no buses, no crossing guard and get a ticket? The only way you know the zone is operating is when you look in your rear view mirror after end of zone. Seems illegal.
I love the fact that people finally obey school zones but I think we should hire police men and women instead… actual human beings… not American Traffic Solutions.

Mel June 14, 2015 (9:34 pm)

The City of Seattle loves the STEM school so much they’re putting in a quasi-legal automated speed camera system before many other Seattle schools…
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…Yet they permitted and fast-tracked a residence for high-risk homeless one block away with no debate allowed.
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Will the emergency vehicles called to DESC on a frequent basis be exempt from the speed camera fines?

Rich Huizenga June 16, 2015 (6:52 am)

These school speed zone cameras are a scam disguised as law enforcement. The fine I paid was $189 for doing 26 on Roxbury in front of the Catholic school. Apparently the lights were flashing, but there were no kids present. If a live human had been there I would not have been scammed. All you car haters forget we drivers are what keep your government subsidized transportation alternatives paid for but we can’t use them because they aren’t flexible enough to meet our needs. We have jobs to do to pay our huge tax bills and outrageous fines for non crimes imposed to placate a few people who have time because they apparently aren’t working, to spend making a nuisance of themselves to the SDOT who are more than happy to suppress cars whenever they have a chance. This is NOT representative democracy in action. Shameful is what it is.

KM June 16, 2015 (11:19 am)

All for more enforcement of our traffic laws. Would love more of it all around the city, for various laws, and with 100% of the revenues generated from the tickets sticking with our local communities and funding our police.

In regards to this stretch of school zone, there’s no way to know if the lights are flashing if you enter from a side street within the zone, such as Findlay or Juneau. I can imagine this is also an issue for other school zones, especially on the more broad streets and with school pickup/dropoff set back from the main street. I think better signage, maybe flashing lights every block, would really help to alert drivers as well.

Sorry, comment time is over.