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HomeMy WebLinkAbout5847RESOLUTION NO. 5847 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AUBURN, WASHINGTON, ADOPTING THE CITY OF AUBURN AUTOMATED TRAFFIC SAFETY CAMERA 2025 PROGRAM EXPANSION STUDY AND PROGRAM OVERVIEW (STUDY) AND AFFIRMING THAT SPEED ENFORCEMENT WITH AUTOMATED TRAFFIC SAFETY CAMERAS AT THE LOCATIONS RECOMMENDED IN THE STUDY IS CONSISTENT WITH STATE LAW WHEREAS, with Resolution 5789, the City Council adopted the Comprehensive Safety Action Plan (CSAP) and established the goal and vision to reduce and eventually eliminate serious injury and fatal crashes; and WHEREAS, the CSAP identified speeding as one of the main circumstances associated with serious injury and fatal crashes and recommended consideration of speed enforcement with automated traffic safety cameras to reduce speeding; and WHEREAS, RCW 46.63.250 allows for speed enforcement with automated traffic safety cameras in school speed zones, school walking areas, roadway work zones, hospital speed zones, public park speed zones, State highways within City limits, and locations determined by the City Council to have experienced higher crash risks due to excessive vehicle speeds (General Locations); and WHEREAS, RCW 46.63.220 requires an analysis of potential equity impacts and alternatives to camera enforcement for all enforcement locations that were not already in place before June 2024; and WHEREAS, the City has prepared the City of Auburn Automated Traffic Safety Camera 2025 Program Expansion Study and Program Overview (Study); and Resolution No. 5847 July 12, 2025 Page 1 of 3 Rev. 04/24 WHEREAS, the Study evaluated General Locations for speed enforcement with automated traffic safety cameras and evaluated whether or not locations met the State requirements and analyzed potential equity impacts and alternatives to camera enforcement; and WHEREAS, the study recommends speed enforcement with automated traffic safety cameras on eastbound Auburn Way South between the R Street SE bridge and the Muckleshoot Plaza intersection, eastbound 15th Street NW between M Street NW and Ron Crockett Drive, and southbound A Street SE between 17th Street SE and 21 st Street SE (Recommended General Locations). NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AUBURN, WASHINGTON, RESOLVES as follows: Section 1. City of Auburn Automated Traffic Safety Camera 2025 Program Expansion Study and Program Overview (Study) attached as Exhibit is hereby adopted. Resolution No. 5847 July 12, 2025 Page 2 of 3 Rev. 04/24 Section 2. The City affirms that the Recommended General Locations meet the requirements of RCW 46.63.220 and RCW 46.63.250. Section 3. This Resolution will take effect and be in full force on passage and signatures. Dated and Signed this 21st day of July, 2025. ATTEST: MEWOMM ��� Shawn Campbell, MMC, City Clerk Resolution No. 5847 July 12, 2025 Page 3 of 3 CITY OF AUBURN NANCY BA &U MAYOR M: Jason Whalen, City Attorney Rev. 04/24 Resolution 5847 Exhibit A City of Auburn — Automated Traffic Safety Camera Program 2025 Program Expansion Study and Overview, Prepared 7/8/2025 Purpose This document provides the basis for the City Council to establish prioritized locations forgeneral speed enforcement with the expansion of the City's automated traffic safety camera program in accordance with state requirements. In 2024, Washington State Legislature House Bile 2384was passed that updated RCW's related to automated traffic safety cameras. The changes removed the limitations for agencies like the City of Auburn from only using automated traffic safety cameras in school zones, railroad crossings, and signalized intersections. The revised state regulations continue to allow agencies to operate automated traffic safety cameras to enforce speed limits in hospital speed zones, public park speed zones, school speed zones, school walk zones, roadway work zones, and state highways that are classified as City streets per RCW 47.24 (such as Auburn Way South/SR 164). There are no limits to how many speed enforcement cameras agencies may operate in these areas. The state regulations revised by House Bill 2384 now allow agencies to utilize automated traffic safety cameras to enforce speeds at other locations deemed by the City Council to experience higher crash risks due to excessive vehicle speeds. In adopting the 2025-2026 biennial budget, the Auburn City Council approved a program improvement to expand the City's current photo enforcement from being only in school zones to also enforce speeds outside school zones. The budget included implementation of up to 3 cameras in late 2025 that would be actively enforcing speeds in early 2026. In 2025, the expanded program will place up to 3 additional speed enforcement cameras at locations that are not school speed zones (General Locations), that meet the criteria established in ROW 45F63.25%�_L and with analysis required per RCW 46.63.220(3): R.C_W,.4.6.6.•2..50(.): "...The local legislative authority may authorize the use of one additional automated traffic safety camera per 10,000 population to detect speed violations in locations deemed by the local legislative authority to experience higher crash risks due to excessive vehicle speeds...' (Speed and Crash Requirement) RCW 46 63 220 : "The local legislative authority must prepare an analysis of the locations within the jurisdiction where automated traffic safety cameras are proposed to be located before adding traffic safety cameras to a new location or relocating any existing camera to a new location within the jurisdiction. The analysis must include equity considerations including the impact of the camera placement on livability, accessibility, economics, education, and environmental health when identifying where to locate an automated traffic safety camera. The analysis must also show a demonstrated need for traffic cameras based on one or more of the following in the vicinity of the proposed camera location: 2025 Auburn —Automated Traffic Safety Camera Study Page 1 of 9 Travel by vulnerable road users, evidence of vehicles speeding, rates of collision, reports showing near collisions, and anticipated or actual ineffectiveness or infeasibility of other mitigation measures." (Equity and Alternatives Analysis Requirement) Auburn's 2025 population is estimated to be just over 90,000 and therefore, the City of Auburn may operate up to 9 automated traffic safety cameras to enforce speeds at general locations. Background The City of Auburn's current Automated Traffic Safety program is intended to reduce speeding in school zones and improve overall safety for children, teachers, and parents. The need for the program was identified in 2022 when speed studies in 28 different school zones showed that between 7% and 45% of vehicles were significantly exceeding the 20 mph speed limit in active school zones. The program has been successful in reducing non-compliance rates from the initial study in 2022. The initial average non- compliance rate for the school zones where cameras were installed was 27%. By the end of 2024, with the 12 automated traffic safety cameras in place, the average non-compliance rate dropped to under 2%. In 2024, with Resolution 5789 the City Council adopted the Comprehensive Safety Action Plan (Safety Plan) and established a target zero vision and goal. The vision is to eventually have no serious injury and fatal crashes on the City's transportation system. The goal is to reduce serious injuries and fatal crashes by 30% by 2040. Community outreach and engagement helped develop the Safety Plan. In total, 351 public comments related to safety concerns were received and considered through various engagement tools and speeding was frequently one of the most significant concerns shared. The Safety Plan identifies various approaches to support the vision and goal, called safety countermeasures. Automated traffic safety cameras are a proven safety countermeasure that is effective in affecting driver behavior to slow down and therefore reduce the likelihood of serious injury and fatal crashes. Site Selection Approach The following steps were taken to select locations prioritized for automated speed enforcement: 1) Initial Site Selection and Evaluation 2) Detailed Speed Studies 3) Crash to Speed Correlation Evaluation 4) Equity and Alternatives Analysis 5) Selected Sites Initial Site Selection and Evaluation The City's Traffic Engineering staff of the Public Works Department and the Traffic Unit of the Police Department worked together to identify 14 locations to be considered for study. The initial locations were identified based on crash history, speeding complaints, information from the Safety Plan, and previously conducted speed studies. The initial locations were evaluated and considered for further study based on the following criteria: 2025 Auburn —Automated Traffic Safety Camera Study Page 2 of 9 Table 1: Initial Evaluation Criteria ..Criteria No. Criteria Description 1 Presence on Safety Emphasis Corridor (SEC) as identified in the 2024 Auburn Comprehensive Safety Action Plan 2 Presence on High Injury Network (HIN) as identified in the 2025 Draft Regional Safety Action Plan by the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) 3 Conditions making enforcement by traffic police officers difficult (limited space along corridor, high speeds, high volumes, multiple lanes) 4 History of crashes and speeding complaints (typically reflected by presence on SEC or HIN) 5 Lack of other safety counter measures (lighting, sidewalks, and/or enhanced crossings) Other evaluation criteria included the posted speed limit, number of lanes, average daily traffic volume, and the roadway classification. Table 2 below lists the evaluation criteria and whether the location was selected to be included in the speed studies performed by the City's automated traffic safety camera vendor, Verra Mobility. The locations chosen for further study are shaded green. Table 2: Initial Evaluation and Outcome Location','Direction Posted '", , ,* of ' .Classificat on Criteria Study. Speed . I:anes a Present 'mph) S. 271111 St between D St NE-& I St'N Al WB 35 : 2: Principal ;o ° . 2; 3,4,5 . Y Arterial.; 151 St NW befnreen M St NW &Ron E13., 35 2 Principal; " croci<ett"or . Aubtarri Way S,between R St Bridge &::; Principal :. R 1,2,3,4;5 % ' Y MuektesN66i Plaza SE ArteriaC..:' • sn Auburn.WayS between Dominick St" WB 35 1 Principal -." 1,2,3,4,5 ** '. `,'Y**1'- SE&Moses St SE Arteriall°.. St SE between' 17th St SE &:291h-St ,.: . SB 49 , . 2 Print pat 1;2,3,4,5 Y, SE':;;;f, . Artenat 1241h Ave SE between SE 296" Way & SB 35 2 Minor Arterial 4 N SE 300th Way West Valley, Highway between 29`":.St- " ',:"J NB 4t? 2 Princlpat> 2,4;,5". Y;, 'NW & 37tE'.St NE: , Arteriat,m Auburn Way North between 15th St NE NB 35 2 Principal 1,2,4 N & 301h St NE Arterial Harvey Rd between 121h St & 8m St NE NB 35 2 Principal 1,4 N Arterial i th St;NE:between Harvey Rd.and Pike EB 35 2. Principal 12'4 Y - - . Arterial ,1.32Ave SE'(Lea Hitt Rd) between SE, ,` , SB 35 I" , s MinorArterral.-, ` 1;2,3;4,' Y `308ti Stand SE 3121h Ct-e _' " C St SW between 15th St SW & SB 45 2 Minor Arterial 2,3,4 N* Ellingson Rd Lake Tapps Parkway between : `.Principal : `` :Lakeland°HillsWay.&TowriCenter Artenat ;.. B St NW between 161": St NW,bSt SB,. 35 `, '- - 1 Minor ArteriaCa °' : 2,3;4,5 " Y** NW * Road construction planned in 2025 w/potential speed limit change would conttictwitn study. ** Study included through lane and adjacent two-way left turn lane. 2025 Auburn —Automated Traffic Safety Camera Study Page 3 of 9 Speed Analysis Study From March 111h to March 251h, 2025, the City's automated traffic safety camera vendor conducted detailed speed studies at the 10 preliminary locations identified for further study in Table 2. The study data was processed to indicate the total volume of vehicles and the percentage of vehicles that were exceeding the speed limit at given thresholds at each location. In summary, the results showed significant variation in the rates of vehicles that were significantly exceeding the posted speed limit, ranging from 56%to 1%. The highest rates of non-compliance occurred on S. 2771h Street (56%), two studied locations on Auburn Way South (SR-164) (50% and 55%), 15`h Street NW (26%), and B Street NW (26%). To prioritize locations that had the highest rates of significant speeding, locations with the lowest rates of significant speeding were not selected to move forward. Locations selected for further evaluation are shown in green on Table 3 below. Table 3: Speed Studies Summary Location. ';; , "" "> ' Tot64Ve,hicle ,• ',Vehicles @ Vehicles Co) `" . " Further Volume' "-Posted +10 Posted + 1:5 " Evaluation?; S. 277'hSt between D St NE'&.I St NE, " 45,679 ."56%'"," - 30% Yes 15`h'St NW between M.St NW.&,Ron Crockett Dr o,'277 269/o 80/• ° Yes Auburn'.Way S between R St Bridge"&` 4$;932;= ` 55% . 24%` Yes Muckleshoot Plaza SE.:' . Auburn Way,S between Dominick St,SE"& 33;059 50010 13% - " : °.. Yes" Moses St SE A St SE between 170, St SE'"&' 2VZt SE . 34,27G ; , , 1,0010 3% " Yes West Valley Highway between 291h St NW & 371h 18,524 8% 2% No St NE 81h St NE between Harvey Rd and Pike St NE 33,132 1 % <1 % No 132 Ave SE (Lea Hill Rd) between SE 308th St 18,179 5% 1 % No and SE 3121h Ct Lake Tapps Pkwy between Lakeland Hills W & 24,192 1% <1% No Town Center Entrance D/W B St,NW"between 16"?'St NW & 29t" St NW" , .: 15,353,1. a ;" "; 26% 8010 Yes. Two-day total traffic volume Speed and Crash Requirement The Safety Plan identifies Safety Emphasis Corridors throughout the Citywhere most of the crashes causing serious injuries and fatalities (KSI Crashes) have occurred. 59% of all KSI Crashes occurred on the 7 identified Safety Emphasis Corridor. For each Safety Emphasis Corridor, the Safety Plan identifies the prominent circumstances involved with the KSI Crashes. The most common identified circumstances include speeding, impaired driving/DUI, failure to yield the right-of-way, and distracted driving. For all corridors, the Safety Plan identifies automated safety cameras as a countermeasure to be considered for improving driver behavior, reducing speeds, and lessening the likelihood of KSI Crashes. General speed enforcement with automated traffic safety cameras at locations on these identified corridors would meet 2025 Auburn —Automated Traffic Safety Camera Study Page 4 of 9 the Speed and Crash Requirement. Locations not located on these corridors may still meet the Speed and Crash Requirement but would require additional analysis to substantiate that the criteria has been met. Locations on Safety Emphasis Corridors were prioritized to move forward into the Equity and Alternatives Analysis and are shown in green on Table 4. The two locations that would require additional analysis to evaluate crash history and speed correlation were not selected to move forward into the equity and alternatives analysis with this current program expansion but may be considered with future program expansion(s). Table 4: Locations on Safety Emphasis Corridors ocation On Safety Emphasis Next Step `"-„ . . Corridor? S. 277111St between D St NE & I St Additional analysis would be needed to NE N0 evaluate crash history. '151' St NW between M"St NW & Yes" Equity"and Atternatives Analysis Ron Crockett Dr Auburn.Way S between R St Yes qE;" `quity,and Alternatives Analysis `Bridge;& Muckleshoot Plaza SE Auburn Way S between Yes" Equity and Alternatives Analysis l?ominick.St SE & Moses St SE •A St SE between 17`h St SE & 29t!',., Yes Equity and Alternatives Analysis - SfSE ri . B St NW between 16th St NW & Additional analysis would be needed to 29`h St NW No evaluate crash history. Equity and Alternatives Analysis Requirement Equity considerations include evaluation of the impact of camera placement on livability, accessibility, economics, education, and environmental health. The analysis also evaluates whether other mitigation measures besides traffic cameras have been effective and whether new or additional measures would be feasible and likely to be effective in reducing crashes caused by speeding. Camera enforcement can have a positive effect on the livability, accessibility, economics, education, and environmental health of the areas in which they are placed. Camera enforcement encourages drivers to obey posted speed limits which creates a safer environment for othervehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists. The reduction of high speeds that are the result of camera enforcement make it more comfortable and therefore more likely that people will be more willing to walk, bike, and use transit which has a positive effect on accessibility, economics and environmental health. Those who receive infractions also benefit from the program as the infraction and associated fee encourage and educate them to learn to slow down which reduces the likelihood that they will be seriously injured or killed in a crash or cause others to be seriously injured or killed. Since camera placement has a positive impact on the area in which they are placed, consistent with the City's equity policies in its Comprehensive Transportation Plan, the potential placement locations were evaluated from an income demographics standpoint. This evaluation helps ensure that locations selected for placement are not underserving or overserving any particular income demographic. The City's goal is to 2025 Auburn —Automated Traffic Safety Camera Study Page 5 of 9 balance the automated enforcement, so that the distribution of income demographics served by the cameras reflects the distribution of income demographics in the City. Table 5 summarizes the overall income demographics of the registered owners of the vehicles travelling in the listed locations. This information was collected using the Placer.Al. data service provided to the City. Table 5: Income Demographics Location Mddh n Household "-doinparision of Auburn' Note Income' Median lncomez 151h St NW between M St NW & $88,000 95% Location is 5% lower Ron Crockett Dr than median income. Auburn Way S between R St $92,000 >99% Location is nearly equal Bridge & Muckleshoot Plaza SE to median income Auburn Way S between $103,000 111 % Location is 11 % higher Dominick St SE & Moses St SE than median income A St SE between 171h St SE & $94,000 101 % Location is 1 % higher 29thStSE than median income Per Placer Al data collection tool 2 Median income in Auburn is $92,824 The income demographic information shown on Table 5 suggests that placement of automated traffic safety cameras in one or more of the locations would not weigh more heavily on, or provide more benefit to, income demographics significantly below or above the median household income in Auburn. However, all4 locations are in, or along, areas identified as "disadvantaged communities" in the Safety Plan. People Living in these areas are more likely to rely on active transportation and transit services (where available) and are therefore more likely to be out walking or biking on and along the roadways. It follows that increasing driver compliance with posted speed limits on roads in, and along, these areas will increase safety and comfort to the people who rely on walking, biking, and transit. In some cases, placement of camera enforcement in one location may cause traffic to divert and potentially speed in another location. In those situations, the area being served by the enforcement would benefit but it could be at the detriment of another location. The short list of study locations from Tables 4 and 5 were evaluated to determine if diversion of traffic on to other corridors would be likely to occur and what the potential impacts and mitigation for the diversion could be. The results are summarized in Table 6 below. 2025 Auburn -Automated Traffic Safety Camera Study Page 6 of 9 Table 6: Traffic Diversion Evaluation Location -",-'Diversion PotentiaC Potentiat irripact of diverted driuers.on community , „ and potentiatmitigaiion Eastbound 151h St NW between M Diversion not N/A St NW & Ron Crockett Dr expected. Eastbound Auburn Way S between Some diversion may This alternate route is already utilized to by-pass R St Bridge & Muckleshoot Plaza SE occur: Auburn Way S to congestion on Auburn Way S and therefore also Howard Rd to R St SE experiences congestion during peak commute times to Riverwalk Dr to and during events at the White River Amphitheater. Auburn Way S Some additional diverted traffic may occur, however, mitigation measures have already been constructed or will soon be constructed with planned projects, and no appreciable impact is anticipated: Traffic calming measures have been recently installed on Howard Rd near Auburn Way S. A roundabout at the intersection of R St SE and Howard Rd/21 st St SE is in design and planned for construction in 2026. Sidewalks, street lighting, and other safety improvements have been recently constructed on Riverwalk Dr and at the intersection of Riverwalk Dr and Auburn Way S. Westbound Auburn Way S between Diversion not N/A Dominick St SE & Moses St SE expected. Southbound A St SE between 17th Some diversion may Traffic calming measures have been recently installed St SE & 29th St SE occur: 17th St SE to F St on Howard Rd near Auburn Way S. A roundabout at the SE, M St SE, or and intersection of R St SE and Howard Rd/21 st St SE is in Auburn Way S. to design and planned for construction in 2026. Howard Rd to R St SE Traffic calming measures (speed cushions, raised pedestrians, and signage) have recently been installed on F St SE, G St SE, K St SE, and M St SE. Additionally, school zone photo enforcement is in place on M St SE. In addition to evaluation of equity criteria, the analysis also looks at potential alternatives to camera enforcement. For each location, the study identifies what measures have already been taken to reduce speeding and lower the risk of serious injury and fatal crashes caused by speeding. The study also considers what other measures cou Id be taken and the feasibility and anticipated effectiveness of those measures. The alternatives analysis information is shown on Table 7. 2025 Auburn -Automated Traffic Safety Camera Study Page 7 of 9 Table 7: Alternatives to Camera Enforcement :. .., .. ,;. Potential Ut}ier Measures- AdditioriA -:m .' ..._ Phjrsicat: . _ .. Potential Location ,Atready.lmptemented °Measures Traditional Speed .Traffic ;. :... -,Other y,. :. -.., .. Enforcemeeiii ' `" Catming . Mitigation High traffic No other volumes and low feasible Dynamic message sign, numbers of measures due Additional street th Eastbound 15 St NW traditional enforcement, infractions issued to high lighting and between M St NW & Ron signage, streetlights, road w/traditional volumes and Pedestrian Crockett Dr channelization changes enforcement has need to serve facilities. only minor positive snow plows, impacts to general freight and driver behavior. transit. No other Lane narrowing, lowered feasible speed limit, dynamic No location for measures due No potential Eastbound Auburn Way message sign, street officers to provide to high mitigation that S between R St Bridge & lighting, sidewalks, traditional volumes and hasn't already Muckleshoot Plaza SE signage, enforcement due need to serve been median/centerline to roadway snow plows, implemented. hardening characteristics. freight and transit. Additional traditional No other enforcement may feasible be feasible. High measures due Westbound Auburn Way traffic volumes and to high Additional street S between Dominick St Traditional enforcement low numbers of infractions issued volumes and lighting and pedestrian SE & Moses St SE w/traditional need to serve facilities. snow plows, enforcement has freight and only minor positive transit. impacts to general driver behavior. High traffic No other volumes and low feasible numbers of measures due No potential Southbound A St SE Traditional enforcement, infractions issued to high mitigation that between 17`" St SE & sidewalks, street lighting, w/traditional volumes and hasn't already 291' St SE traffic signal enforcement has need to serve been improvements only minor positive snow plows, implemented. impacts to general freight and driver behavior. transit. Selected Locations The final selection of locations was based on consideration of all data and criteria as summarized on Table 8. Sites proposed for implementation in 2026 are shown in green on the table. 2025 Auburn -Automated Traffic Safety Camera Study Page 8 of 9 Table 8: Final Selection for Initial Program Expansion '" ".Location Direction Selected !, Reasons Selected or.NofSeLected :, for Initials Program?" S. 2771" St between D St NE & I WB N Additional crash and speed correlation St NE analysis is needed. NW"between M'St-NW & Meets alt legislative criteria and .1"Vh.tt R"ort.Crockett"Cir Supports:C ty safety ghat. Auburn-Way;S.beiween R St.. EB. Y: Meets all lsgislalive criteria and Bridge & Muci<leshoot"l?laza°SE : supports City°safety"goal.. Auburn Way S between Traditional enforcement feasible. Of the Dominick St SE & Moses St SE two locations considered on Auburn Way S, this location has better potential for traditional enforcement and mitigation measures such as additional street lighting and pedestrian facilities. WB N Placing cameras at two locations on Auburn Way S. while other locations would not have any was not seen as being the most equitable approach with this initial expansion and may disproportionately impact the adjacent community along this corridor. A St SE between 171" St SE SB ;a. `Meets all le islative criteria;and 1h 29St SE %',: " ` : supports City. Safety goal. 124th Ave SE between SE 296th N Traditional enforcement feasible and Way & SE 300th Way SB effective. West Valley Highway between NB N Lower levels of significant speeding. 291h St NW & 37th St NE Auburn Way North between 15th Traditional enforcement feasible and St NE & 301h St NE NB N effective. Harvey Rd between 12th St & 8th NB N Traditional enforcement feasible and St NE effective. 8th St NE between Harvey Rd EB N Lower levels of significant speeding. and Pike St NE 132 Ave SE (Lea Hill Rd) Lower levels of significant speeding. between SE 308th St and SE SB N 312th Ct C St SW between 15th St SW & N Construction projects underway. Not Ellingson Rd SB fully studied. Lake Tapps Parkway between Lower levels of significant speeding. Lakeland Hills Way &Town WB N Center B St NW between 16th St NW & N Additional crash and speed correlation 29th St NW SB analysis is needed. 2025 Auburn —Automated Traffic Safety Camera Study Page 9 of 9