(The Center Square) – The Redmond Police Department wanted to implement automated traffic safety cameras in areas to reduce the rate of collisions and speeding, but the city council sided with public opposition to increased video surveillance.
Amendment Number 25-050 would have allowed the development of an automated speed safety program initially in school zones and potentially in park zones afterwards. The cameras would detect speed zone infractions.
The cameras were intended to reduce collisions and speeding, particularly near schools and parks.
However, on Tuesday, the Redmond City Council removed Amendment Number 25-050 from its consent agenda in order to take a separate vote on it. The vote was split 3-3, meaning it failed.
Redmond City Councilmember Jessica Forsythe said she supports the implementation of automated speed safety cameras in school zones, but cannot vote for the entire package as is.
“I believe we are penalizing our community for past road design decisions that are encouraging speeding and I believe we haven’t gotten through the traffic calming measures we’ve been working so diligently to implement,” Forsythe said during Tuesday night’s city council meeting. “I do not feel that now is a time to be adding additional burdens on our community, more specifically, additional surveillance at this time doesn’t feel particularly good.”
Forsythe also raised concerns about the cost of citations, noting that typical speeding fines in Washington are $124.
Redmond City Councilmember Steve Fields said he voted against the bill because he does not believe it addresses the more urgent problem of speeding, reckless drivers and presents a financial burden for people who get fined by the cameras.
Forsythe noted that people from low-income households could be disproportionately impacted by the automated cameras because they would have to go to court in order to mitigate costs, causing them to have to take unpaid leave from work.
The bill was not favored by most Redmond residents either.
A community survey showed 52% of respondents opposed speed cameras near schools, while 56% were against them near parks. Another city questionnaire found that 39% of school parents said slower vehicle speeds would make them feel comfortable letting their child walk or bike to school.
Redmond’s park zones saw a total of 155 crashes from 2019 to 2024. Out of the 155 crashes, one died and 36 were injured.
The city’s school zones saw 47 crashes.
Redmond City Councilmember Vanessa Kritzer expressed frustration that fellow council members’ concerns had not been raised earlier in study sessions, where the council could have addressed them before putting the bill on the consent agenda.
