Redmond Police Issue More Than 1,500 Citations In First Two Weeks of Camera Enforcement Period

The number of camera-enforced citations issued so far this month is on pace to exceed the that were issued during a one-month warning period earlier this year, Redmond Police Chief Ron Gibson told the City Council's public safety committee at a meeting Tuesday afternoon.

The issued a combined 1,586 citations between March 3 and 16 at the three intersections with red light cameras and one school zone with a speed camera.

Gibson said he believes the number of violations confirms earlier traffic studies that identified the intersections as problem areas.

"I think that bears out the fact that the studies show there's a high number of violations at these intersections," he said.

The cameras are located eastbound on Redmond Way at 148th Avenue Northeast, eastbound and westbound on Northeast 40th Street at 156th Avenue Northeast, and westbound on Union Hill Road and northbound on Avondale Road where those two roads intersect. A speed zone camera is also located at Einstein Elementary, 18025 N.E. 116th St.

The safety cameras began operating in February and are part of a pilot program that will be reviewed by city officials at the end of the year.

At Tuesday's meeting, Gibson and Police Commander Shari Shovlin gave a presentation to committee members to clarify how officers decide whether to issue a citation. Gibson said the police officers who review the camera footage are instructed to use the same level of discretion they apply on the streets.

"The only difference here is we're using technology in order to monitor the intersection 24/7 as opposed to posting an officer there," he said. "The criteria for issuing a citation are exactly the same."

Shovlin showed video from several instances where citations were issued and several instances where officers decided not to issue a ticket. One video showed a minivan taking a right-hand turn on red without coming to a complete stop, but Shovlin said the reviewing officer decided not to issue a ticket.

"If there were pedestrians there, it might have been a different story," she said.

Gibson addressed some other concerns officials have received from residents since the program started. He said there has been only one rear-end collision at a camera-enforced intersection since the program began; after speaking with the parties involved, police determined the at-fault driver was not trying to stop for a camera, Gibson said.

Strobe shields have also been installed on all the red-light cameras, Shovlin said.

Earlier in the meeting, public works engineer Bruce Newman gave a brief presentation about the city's signal cycles. Newman said engineers calculate the length of yellow-light periods with a formula that includes speed, roadway grade and other factors.

Most Redmond intersections have yellow-light periods of four seconds, Newman said, but the total range is between three and 4.7 seconds. He said the minimum threshold is consistent with those at signals in nearby municipalities, including Kirkland and Bellevue.

The camera presentation was designed to further teach city officials and the general public about how the program works, committee chair and Councilman Hank Myers said. Residents have the opportunity to give their input on the camera program at any of the City Council's regular meetings, committee member and Councilman David Carson said.