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Photo Enforcement Program
The City of Lake Forest Park currently operates Traffic Safety Enforcement Camera Systems around its schools, and at three locations on SR 522/Bothell Way NE. These systems are a safety measure designed to reduce and prevent speeding and collisions. Since its beginning in 2009, the goal of the program has been pedestrian safety in our school zones and collision reduction on SR 522. The program is used as a force-multiplier, adding to the good behavior of drivers and enforcement capacity of the Police Department. The system enables Police Department staff, which is typically running at minimum levels, to perform other functions that address a wide range of public safety tasks.
We've all had to stop short of running into another car in the middle of the intersection for drivers who think they can squeak through the light. Speeding and running red lights jeopardize public safety on a daily basis. To counteract this danger the City of Lake Forest Park implemented a photo enforcement program. The city installed a red light camera and installed a system of sensors to capture speed and cameras to photograph the rear of the violator's vehicle and license plate in school zones.
It is important for citizens to know that photo enforcement violations do not get applied to their driving record. The violations are not recorded by the Washington State Department of Licensing.
As with a parking ticket, it does not matter who drives the vehicle, it's the registered owner who is responsible for the violation. This presumption may be overcome only if the registered owner states (before the court) that the vehicle involved was in control of some person other than the registered owner.
Red Light Cameras
The red light cameras are installed at the following intersections in Lake Forest Park:
165th and SR522
170th and SR522
SR104 and SR522
Collision & Enforcement Data for 2022
Location | Collisions | Violations | Citations |
---|---|---|---|
SR 522 @ NE 165th | 2 | 4295 | 3018 |
SR 522 @ NE 170th | 7 | 6853 | 2423 |
SR 522 @ SR 104 | 10 | 6462 | 3274 |
School Zone Enforcement
Reduced-speed zones are being used to protect and improve the safety of children walking to and from school. Criteria taken into consideration when setting school zone enforcement standards include the geographical environment of the arterial and school property, age of the students, and speed of vehicles to include standard reactionary time and vehicle
stopping distances. The camera system is operational at the following schools:
Lake Forest Park Elementary School
18700 35th Ave NE
18500 40th Place NE
2022 Data
Collisions | Violations | Citations |
2 | 7,256 | 5,442 |
Brookside Elementary School
3300blk of NE 178th Street
17400blk of 37th Ave NE
2022 Data
Collisions | Violations | Citations |
0 | 9,979 | 7,543 |
On Wednesday, September 6th, 2023, Shoreline District schools will be back in session. The flashers and school zone cameras are active and enforceable.
The cameras will be active and enforceable during these times:
Monday thru Friday from 7:30am to 9:30am and 2:30pm to 4:30pm*
*Wednesday Early Release enforceable times are 7:30am to 9:30am and 1:00pm to 2:30pm
*Half Day enforceable times are 7:30am to 9:30am and 11:00am to 12:30pm
It is especially important to remember, drivers are still required to obey the posted speed limit and lower their speed to 20mph when children are present in the school zones, regardless of warning flashers and designated school zone times. School classes may not be in session, but other events may be taking place (sports, after school events, etc.). Officers may still issue infractions for this violation.
Key Dates (2023-24):
Sep 7 | First Day of School |
Oct 30 to Nov 3 | Half-Day Release for Elementary Conferences |
Nov 10 | No School (Veterans Day) |
Nov 22 | Half Day Release (Thanksgiving) |
Nov 23-24 | No School (Thanksgiving) |
Dec 25 - Jan 5 | No School (Winter Break) |
Jan 15 | No School (Martin Luther King Jr.) |
Jan 29 | No School (Staff Work Day) |
Feb 19 | No School (Presidents Day) |
Feb 20-23 | No School (Mid-Winter Break) |
Mar 4-8 | Half Day Release (Elementary Conferences) |
Apr 22-26 | No School (Spring Break) |
May 27 | No School (Memorial Day) |
Jun 10 | No School (Staff Work Day) |
Jun 19 | No School (Juneteenth) |
Jun 21 | Last Day of School (Half Day) |
"Early Release Days" will be held on Wednesdays when there are five days of school in the week (no holidays or non-student days) and release students 100 minutes before the regular end of the school day.
"Half Day Releases" will be held on November 22 (day before Thanksgiving) and June 21 (last day of school) for grades K-12. There will also be half-days for elementary schools and Cascade K-8 for conferences on October 30 to November 3, and March 4-8.
For more information: 2023-24 School Year One-Page Calendar
The camera system is operational during normal school days. The system is not operational during scheduled school holidays and summer breaks.
Photo Enforcement Infraction? Please read!
If you have received a photo enforcement infraction, please continue reading before responding or calling the court.
Due to court staffing shortages, your hearing request may not be processed for up to 120 days. If you haven’t heard back within 90 days, please contact the court directly at lfpcourt@cityoflfp.com or by calling (206) 364-7711
Prior to filing your hearing request or calling the court, it is strongly recommended that you watch the video. Please follow the instructions below:
Go to www.violationinfo.com
- View and click on the “Get More Information box”
- A white box will pop up – Enter your Notice number and Pin number (located at the top right of the NOTICE OF INFRACTION)
- Hit Login
- Hit Select – You will then have 4 options:
- Exhibit A – a photo
- Exhibit B – a photo
- A view of the plate number
- VIDEO CLIP – click on the video clip – then click the white arrow to play the video.
Click here for: Speed Measuring Device Certifications
Frequently Asked Questions
1) What other strategies are currently used to promote safe driving in Lake Forest Park?
The City of Lake Forest Park is an active partner in the King County Target Zero Task Force http://www.kingcounty.gov/healthservices/health/injury/traffic/coalition.aspx, and conduct regular local and regional emphasis patrols. We have a traffic officer assigned to a motorcycle who works on high collision problem areas and request for service by our citizens. Each day, we deploy a radar trailer randomly on streets in the City and by design to address areas of concern.
We request citizens call in speeding and other traffic related complaints to the police department. We are happy to see people traveling below the speed limit given the many blind corners in our community and lack of sidewalks; our desire to be a family, pet and kid friendly community, and our interest promoting a sense of community which is difficult if our many of our roads are treated as speedy throughways.
2) Why are traffic safety photo enforcement cameras used in Lake Forest Park?
Traffic safety camera systems are a safety measure designed to reduce and prevent speeding and collisions. The goal of our program, since beginning in 2009, has been pedestrian safety in our school zones, and collision reduction on SR 522 (Bothell Way). The program is used as a force-multiplier, adding to the enforcement capacity of the department. The cameras enable police department staff, which are typically running at minimum levels, to perform other functions that address a wide range of public safety tasks.
This system also enables unbiased technologies for promoting safe driving that lets residents and commuters through our community know we take safe driving seriously. Related directly to the police department’s goals, we want to promote the most pedestrian friendly community we can, given our location and topography, and appropriately manage the extensive increase in traffic volume on Bothell Way.
3) How do the traffic safety photo enforcement cameras work?
The School Zone Speeding Cameras are linked the hours of operation for the School District and operate on the days of the week school is in session. The camera captures vehicles traveling at 26 miles per hour, which provides a six mile per hour variance. Often, the camera will flash as a vehicle travels through the area at a time when school is not in session. Not to worry, the camera system runs through a calibration process and at different times of the day and tickets are not issued.
The Red-Light Cameras are operational 24 hours a day. The camera captures violators that cross the solid white line after the light has turned red, it does not capture a vehicle if it is in the intersection when the light turns. Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) regulates the amber cycle time; the City has no access to the intersection controls. The cycle time is within national standards.
Prior to a citation being mailed to a violator, the system administrator (Verra Mobility), is required to verify a strict set of business rules that have been set up to ensure the violation has actually occurred. Once that has been accomplished, they will send the incident electronically to the police department for review. Each incident is then reviewed and verified by a Lake Forest Park Police Officer. We are required to certify a violation that has occurred before it is mailed to the driver.
4) Do the traffic safety photo enforcement cameras work?
Yes. There has been a decrease in collisions at the intersection of Bothell Way and NE 165th of more than 39% since installing the camera system. Nearly 80% of the drivers cited for a photo enforcement ticket live outside of the City of Lake Forest Park. And, 91% of all violators who receive a ticket and pay it do not get another violation. This low rate of repeated behavior, tracked from program inception through April 2014, indicates a change in driver behavior.
5) What aren’t the traffic safety photo enforcement cameras used for?
The traffic safety cameras are only triggered when a law is broken, and they do not operate as a surveillance tool. Officials are unable to access data captured by the camera system without a specific warrant obtained through the court for legal purposes. The City of Lake Forest Park values the privacy and rights of our citizens. RCW 46.63.170 regulates how the systems must operate, and the City is in compliance.
6) Is the traffic safety photo enforcement camera system used to generate revenue?
Yes, the camera system does generate revenue for the City. The system has been set up to be at a minimum cost neutral for the City. The City does pay Verramoblity a flat rate per site that totals $798,000 per year.
The Police Department has no role in the collection of fines or the distribution of funds. The Municipal Court handles all tickets and revenue, and the City Council in cooperation with the Mayor’s office sets direction for spending of the money received. Currently, the revenue is deposited into the City’s General Fund, which assists each department providing a wide variety of services.
We are sharing the revenue so the community is aware of the financial reality of this mitigation strategy but that, again, the Police Department’s sole purpose in employing this strategy in several locations in our city is purely based on positive gains in safety regardless of how small those margins may seem to some.
7) Who provides the traffic safety photo enforcement camera system technology?
Verra Mobility https://www.verramobility.com/. The technology developed and provided by Verra Mobility is the best in the industry. Verra Mobility develops, delivers and operates next-generation road safety products and services that reduce the number and severity of preventable crashes by increasing compliance with traffic laws addressing red-lights, school zones, speed limits and school bus safety.
Click here for: Speed Measuring Device Certifications