Children in Bellevue will be heading back to school Monday, August 30 and that means the city’s school zone photo enforcement cameras will be reactivated that day. The program was shut down during the summer months.

Cameras will operate during school hours and will monitor the west bound direction of travel at the following locations:

NE 8th Street and 143rd Avenue NE, Stevenson Elementary School

SE 8th Street and 143rd Place SE, Lake Hills Elementary School

The photo enforcement program has monitored school zones for one year in Bellevue. Initial indications show that drivers are modifying their driving behaviors and are slowing down in school zones.

“The intent of this program is to alert drivers to the school zones, reduce speeds, and increase safety”, stated Major John Manning of the Bellevue Police Department.

The city selected the location of the cameras based on a history of violations and proximity to two schools. In March 2009, the city passed local ordinance 5868 allowing automated photo enforcement cameras.

The city contracts with American Traffic Solutions, Inc. (ATS) to administer its photo enforcement program. The Bellevue Police Department reviews and approves each violation prior to issuing infractions.

The system’s speed detection technology has been synchronized with the flashing school zone lights to capture images of every vehicle exceeding the school zone speed limit. The fixed-speed site is posted with photo enforcement signs, giving drivers ample warning of the speed cameras and up to 150 feet to slow down.