City of Kent to activate school traffic cameras Nov. 18

The city of Kent will start operating its first school traffic cameras to catch speeders on Monday, Nov. 18.

The city will operate cameras at Sunrise Elementary, 22300 132nd Ave. S.E., on the East Hill, and at Neely-O’Brien Elementary, 6300 S. 236th St., in the Valley.

Owners of vehicles exceeding the 20 mph speed limit while the beacons are active will be mailed a warning notice but no tickets will be issued during the warning phase from Nov. 18 to Dec. 20, according to city officials. Beginning Monday, Jan. 6, owners of vehicles exceeding the speed limit in these two school zones risk receiving a ticket.

“Our goal is to get drivers to observe the speed limit, especially in school zones,” said Kent Police Chief Ken Thomas. “To improve safety for school kids and to avoid receiving an infraction, all a driver needs to do is abide by the 20 mph speed limit. It’s very straightforward.”

Cameras will operate during school hours when the beacons are flashing, mainly 30 minutes in the morning before school and 30 minutes in the afternoon when school is let out.

Cameras will capture images of the license plate of vehicles that exceed the speed limit. All warnings and citations are issued after review by Kent Police officers. Authorities issue a $124 fine for vehicles exceeding 20 mph by 1 to 9 mph and issue a $248 fine for speeds of 10 mph or more above the speed limit.

The Kent City Council approved the enforcement locations based on a traffic study that identified both schools as having the highest number of vehicles exceeding the posted 20 mph speed limit.

For more information on the School Zone Speed Safety Camera Program, visit KentWA.gov.

School traffic cameras

• Warnings issued Nov. 18 to Dec. 20

• Citations issued starting Jan. 6

• 20 mph school zone speed limit

• Operate when school zone lights flashing, Monday-Friday

• 8:15-8:45 a.m. and 2:53-3:23 p.m. at Neely-O’Brien

• 8:20-8:50 a.m. and 2:58-3:28 p.m. at Sunrise