The company that provides Lynnwood’s red light and school zone speed cameras says the cameras are dramatically reducing the number of speeders.
A new report by Arizona-based American Traffic Solutions says there was an 86 percent decrease in the number of speed violations near Lynnwood Elementary when comparing the 2009-2010 school year to 2010-2011, and a 78 percent decrease in the Meadowdale school zone.
The same report also said roughly 85 percent of violators near Meadowdale and 69 percent near Lynnwood Elementary were not residents of Lynnwood.
The largest number of tickets issued was in January 2010, when more than 2,750 drivers were cited near Lynnwood Elementary.
The top speed violator near Meadowdale was traveling 53 miles an hour, more than double the posted speed limit.
It’s important to note that in June 2010, the City Council adjusted the hours for the school zone cameras so they are only operational before and after school (some drivers complained they received tickets in the middle of the day when no children were present.) But a spokesman for American Traffic Solutions told us the new data reflects citations only issued before and after school.
You can read the whole report here (PDF).
This is nothing but an income producer for the cash starved, poorly run city of Lynnwood. If this was about safety, then the big, yellow, flashing warning lights would come on even after school hours, when a pedestrian is crossing at the crosswalk. Instead, I have witnessed kids almost getting hit, because these little “twinkle” lights come on when the walk button is pressed, and they are almost impossible to be seen by drivers. Nice work Lynnwood!