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Tacoma speed cameras catch 400K drivers in first month
Two new speed cameras in Tacoma caught 400,000 speeding drivers in just one month. So many, the city can't even process them all.
TACOMA, WA - Two newly installed speed cameras in Tacoma captured 400,000 speeding drivers during the first month of operation, creating a volume so massive that city officials cannot process every violation.
Instead of issuing citations to all offenders, the city is randomly selecting 100 speeding drivers each day to receive $145 tickets.
High volume forces selective ticketing
The automated cameras were placed along Norpoint Way, where the posted speed limit is 40 mph, and Marine View Drive.
City officials said the installations came in response to community demand following frequent crashes and ongoing dangerous driving.
However, city representatives confirmed that processing and issuing 400,000 tickets a month is financially prohibitive. To manage the workload, officials established a specific speed threshold to filter violations before issuing the daily cap of 100 tickets.
Officials are keeping the exact threshold criteria confidential to prevent motorists from comfortably driving above the posted speed limit.
Community members report frequent crashes
Local workers near the Marine View Drive camera location said safety concerns along the corridor have persisted for years.
"I can probably count 10 wrecks," said Gina Bell, who works across the street from the camera on Marine View Drive.
Bell believes that the cameras are already influencing local traffic behavior, observing that drivers have slowed down noticeably in recent days.
"A life shouldn’t have a cost on it. "It should be a no-brainer. One life is too many, as far as I'm concerned. Thank God they finally did something," she said.
Ticket revenue earmarked for safety upgrades
City officials say legally the money generated from the $145 traffic citations cannot go into general funds.
City officials confirmed that every dollar collected from the fines must be reinvested directly into safety improvements along local roadways like new bike lanes, pedestrian crosswalks, and upgraded street lighting.
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The Source: Information in this story came from the City of Tacoma and FOX 13 Seattle reporting.