A new state law is giving cities like Seattle the latitude to use traffic cameras to put the brakes on street racing.
Legislation approved by a city council committee on Tuesday tagged six-streets as “restricted racing zones” with more locations possible.
“We can attest to its popularity with racers because we can hear them all hours of the day and night” Councilmember Lisa Herbold read letters from the public during this committee hearing “Having police attempt to trace down drivers in fast cars sounds so much more dangerous than issuing speeding tickets from a camera” one of them wrote.
Alki Avenue would get two of the three cameras going up in West Seattle; three others would go east of downtown near Magnuson Park.
“I have about a page-long list of requests from residents about 3rd Avenue and the speeds that people are driving” Councilmember Dan Strauss wants to add cameras to stretches along Seaview Avenue and 3rd Avenue “Just last week I was nearly t-boned at 50th Street NW and 3rd Avenue NW.”
Putting up these street racing cameras is going to be a long process and state law also requires controversial equity study “The areas with the most traffic fatalities” says councilmember Tammy Morales “Happen to be in the most economically and racially diverse communities” communities she represents.
Just this week in Auburn, a man was sentenced to three years in prison for the deaths of two people during a street race.
