Kenmore council to consider expanding photo enforcement: rotating cameras, new sites, up to $1.2M contract amendment

What the records say

The June 9, 2025 City Council agenda included a business item on Kenmore Automated Photo Enforcement (KAPE) Program performance and recommendations, presented by City Traffic Engineer Tobin Bennett-Gold for discussion and approval ¹. The accompanying agenda bill recommends expanding the program with intermittent enforcement — a small number of cameras rotated through a larger pool of approved sites covering Kenmore's arterial corridors — and includes three proposed motions: approve intermittent enforcement camera use, approve the recommended expanded KAPE locations list, and authorize the City Manager to execute a contract amendment with Verra Mobility for up to $1.2 million plus per-violation processing fees ¹. The agenda bill reports that mean speeds are 17 MPH during active school zone hours and 26 MPH at other times, that regulatory-speed violations fell from over 50% of drivers to 1.2% by April 2025 after 24/7 enforcement began, and that the red-light camera at 61st Ave & SR 522 has reduced eastbound left-turn violations to roughly one per day with zero pedestrian conflicts observed in a May 2025 video study ¹. A new 'Limited Infraction Window' policy would prevent multiple infractions from violations occurring within a 30-minute period citywide ¹. The tentative rollout begins with four cameras entering 60-day warning periods at intermittent sites in November 2025, with all sites completing warning periods by May 2027 ¹. The agenda bill also cites projected crash-risk reductions (30% all crashes, 50% injury crashes, 70% fatal crashes in affected high-risk corridors) and potential tailpipe emissions reductions of 10–40% from citywide speed reductions ¹. These are staff projections in the agenda bill, not council-adopted findings. The supplied record is the pre-meeting agenda packet and does not establish what the council decided on June 9 ¹.

• The KAPE Program Performance and Recommendations item appeared on the June 9, 2025 City Council agenda for discussion and approval, presented by Traffic Engineer Tobin Bennett-Gold ¹.
• Proposed motions included approving intermittent enforcement cameras, approving a list of recommended expanded KAPE locations, and authorizing a Verra Mobility contract amendment of up to $1.2 million plus per-violation processing fees ¹.
• The agenda bill reports mean speeds of 17 MPH during active school zone hours and 26 MPH otherwise, and a regulatory-speed violation rate of 1.2% as of April 2025, down from over 50% before 24/7 enforcement began ¹.
• A proposed Limited Infraction Window policy would ensure subsequent violations within a 30-minute period citywide do not produce multiple infractions ¹.
• The tentative timeline starts four cameras on 60-day warning periods at intermittent sites in November 2025, with all new sites completing warning periods by May 2027 ¹.
• KAPE funds were used in 2023–2024 for projects including $250,000 toward the 73rd Ave Sidewalks project, with proposed 2025/2026 uses including $625,000 toward the 61st Ave Sidewalks project and $1.1 million for the Arrowhead Dr Sidewalk and 80th Ave NE Ped/Bike projects ¹.

Why it matters

If approved as proposed, photo enforcement would extend beyond school zones to rotating locations on Kenmore's arterial corridors, meaning drivers could encounter speed cameras in more places and at more times of day. The proposed contract amendment of up to $1.2 million plus per-violation fees would expand the city's financial commitment to the program, whose revenue is dedicated to traffic safety projects such as sidewalk and pavement work ¹. The proposed 30-minute infraction window and 60-day warning periods at new sites directly affect how and when drivers could be fined ¹.

What changed / what's next

• The KAPE program performance review, with staff recommendations to expand to intermittent enforcement cameras, new site locations, and a Verra Mobility contract amendment of up to $1.2 million, was placed on the June 9, 2025 City Council agenda for discussion and approval ¹.
• The supplied record is the pre-meeting agenda packet; it does not document whether the council approved, modified, or rejected the proposed motions on June 9 ¹.
• The agenda bill's projected crash-risk reductions (30%/50%/70% in affected corridors) and 10–40% tailpipe emissions reductions are staff estimates presented for council consideration, not verified outcomes ¹.
• The available records do not establish the meeting's outcome.