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.