Engagement and Program History

The Woodinville City Council formally accepted NE 195th Street as the installation location for the School Zone Safety Camera Pilot Program and passed first reading of Ordinance No. 788 authorizing the use of automated traffic safety cameras in designated school zones. This action follows Council’s earlier direction to advance a phased approach to traffic safety around schools and reflects community interest in addressing speeding concerns along key corridors.

Following Council direction in May, City staff conducted targeted community engagement throughout June and July 2025 to inform the public about the proposed pilot and gather input on key policy elements. Outreach included meetings with school administrators and student representatives, mailed postcards to nearby residents, public engagement sessions, and the launch of a dedicated project webpage. Feedback was largely supportive, particularly from households within the school zone, with many residents expressing concern about speeding and advocating for additional traffic calming measures. Common questions focused on data privacy, revenue use, and waiver procedures—all of which are governed by state law and addressed in the proposed ordinance. The ordinance also establishes enforcement hours aligned with school schedules, defines use restrictions for collected data, outlines infraction procedures, and ensures that any program-generated revenue is reinvested exclusively in traffic safety initiatives.

Additional Resources:

• Agenda
• Staff Report
• Video
• Presentation

For a full list of agendas, reports, and minutes, please visit: https://www.ci.woodinville.wa.us/163/Meetings-Agendas

On Thursday, July 10, 2025, the City of Woodinville held its final Community Meeting for the School Zone Safety Camera program at Rotary Park. City Council members, Police Department representatives, and City staff came together with community members to answer questions and hear feedback.

Neighbors from across the city attended to share their thoughts and concerns. Representatives from a local homeowners association spoke about the everyday experiences of residents along the corridor, while new parents highlighted the difficulties of navigating the neighborhood with strollers. These personal stories underscored the need for improved traffic safety and more walkable streets.

Together, the City and community discussed how traffic-calming measures could address these concerns and contribute to a safer, more accessible environment for everyone.

All input gathered at the meeting will help guide how the School Zone Safety Camera program is implemented, ensuring it reflects our shared commitment to safety, equity, and accountability.

Image: City Council, Police, and Staff preparing for the conversation at the Park

 On Tuesday, July 8, 2025, the City of Woodinville hosted two community meetings at Rotary Park as part of the School Zone Safety Camera program outreach. The City Council, Police Department, and City staff were present from 10 AM to 3 PM to engage with neighbors, answer questions, and listen to feedback in a conversational, informal setting.

These two meetings were intentionally scheduled to connect with different community groups: families with young children visiting the park in the morning, and families with older teens in the afternoon. Throughout the day, the City heard a range of perspectives.

Many attendees expressed support for the safety camera program, describing it as an important first step toward broader traffic-calming efforts, particularly around the high school, where concerns about speeding have been raised in the past. Others voiced thoughtful questions about the relationship between speed and safety, encouraging a measured, evidence-based approach.

City staff shared how the program’s features—including a graduated fine structure and deferred enforcement period—are designed to support education and equity while promoting safer streets.

These conversations continue to shape how the School Zone Safety Camera program is developed and implemented. One more community meeting remained following these discussions.

City staff met with students, staff, and leadership from Woodinville High School to discuss the School Zone Safety Camera Program and hear their perspectives. Staff shared background on the program’s development, goals, and analysis, and will incorporate the school’s input into ongoing policy discussions with the broader community. 

The Woodinville City Council reviewed a proposal to include NE 195th Street, between 136th Avenue NE and 130th Avenue NE, in a two-year School Zone Safety Camera Pilot Program aimed at improving traffic safety near schools. The Council was asked to consider several aspects of the program, including anticipated outcomes, enforcement hours aligned with school schedules, a fine structure designed for equity, a proposed two-month warning period, reinvestment of funds into traffic safety improvements, and public engagement strategies such as multilingual education and ongoing community outreach.

Staff also presented details on program administration, operational logistics, and data privacy protections. The program would be administered in partnership with the Police Department and a contracted safety camera vendor. Cameras would operate during designated school arrival and dismissal times. Staff committed to regular performance reporting, including six-month updates throughout the pilot. A draft ordinance will be brought forward following public engagement efforts, with installation expected by the end of 2025 and enforcement to begin in early 2026.

Additional Resources:

• Agenda(External link)(External link)(External link)
• Staff Report(External link)
• (External link)(External link)Video(External link)(External link)
• Presentation

For a full list of agendas, reports, and minutes, please visit: https://www.ci.woodinville.wa.us/163/Meetings-Agendas

On May 6, 2025, the Woodinville City Council received the results of a comprehensive School Zone Traffic Study and Equity Impact Analysis to evaluate the feasibility of implementing speed safety cameras in local school zones. The study identified seven corridors across three school zones—Woodinville High/Woodin Elementary, Wellington Elementary/Leota Middle School, and Woodmoor Elementary—where speeding and traffic safety concerns were most significant. One corridor near Woodinville High School stood out due to high vehicle volumes, speeding, and collision rates.

The report recommended a phased approach combining short-term traffic calming measures, community engagement, and a pilot school zone safety camera program. This strategy prioritizes equity, data-driven enforcement, and community safety, while laying the groundwork for potential long-term infrastructure improvements. Council was asked to approve this phased strategy and initiate next steps, including policy development and public outreach.

Additional Resources:

• Agenda(External link)(External link)(External link)
• Staff Report(External link)
• (External link)(External link)Video(External link)(External link)
• Presentation

For a full list of agendas, reports, and minutes, please visit: https://www.ci.woodinville.wa.us/163/Meetings-Agendas

At its July 23, 2024 meeting, the Woodinville City Council continued its discussion on the possible implementation of traffic safety cameras in school zones. Council had previously expressed interest in prioritizing children's safety and focusing efforts in school zones with a history of crashes or speeding. Staff responded by consulting regional partners and inviting a Traffic Engineer from the City of Kenmore to share their City's experience with automated photo enforcement.

Staff also addressed key questions raised by Council, including the potential use of camera revenue for safety-related infrastructure citywide, the effectiveness of past traffic calming measures, and the high cost of dedicating police officers for manual enforcement. Based on Council feedback, staff outlined a proposed pilot project involving two speed cameras, associated signage, and a contracted traffic analysis to identify locations. The project would be self-supported through camera-generated revenue and could be considered for inclusion in the City’s 2025–2026 budget. Staff sought Council direction on whether to move forward with this proposal in the next budget cycle.

Additional Resources:

• Agenda(External link)(External link)(External link)
• Staff Report(External link)
• (External link)(External link)Video(External link)(External link)
• Presentation

For a full list of agendas, reports, and minutes, please visit: https://www.ci.woodinville.wa.us/163/Meetings-Agendas

The City of Woodinville began exploring the potential use of traffic safety cameras in school zones to improve safety and reduce speeding near schools. Research has shown that speeding significantly increases the risk of injury or death for pedestrians, especially children, and that speed cameras can reduce crashes by over 50%. Recent changes in state law gave cities more flexibility to use these cameras in school zones and reinvest revenue into local traffic safety improvements. Nearby cities like Kirkland had already implemented similar programs with positive results.

City staff presented background information and asked for feedback on whether to continue exploring this option as part of a future Capital Improvement Project (CIP). Based on Council interest, staff planned to begin developing draft policies for how a program could function, including potential camera locations, hours of operation, and enforcement thresholds.

Additional Resources:

• Agenda(External link)(External link)
• Staff Report(External link)(External link)
• Video(External link)(External link)
• Presentation

For a full list of agendas, reports, and minutes, please visit: https://www.ci.woodinville.wa.us/163/Meetings-Agendas