MILTON, Wash. — The City of Milton has begun using automated traffic enforcement cameras in an effort to reduce speeding and traffic light violations along Milton Way.
Six cameras have been placed in the park and school zones on Milton Way, as well as at the intersection of 28th Avenue and Milton Way.
The city’s new camera program went into effect Oct. 6 with a one-month warning period. Drivers caught violating traffic laws by the cameras between now and Nov. 5 will receive warning notices in the mail. After that, fines will be issued.
In the first nine days alone, the cameras recorded about 1,500 violations.
“We have people who are not stopping at stop signs, we have people running red lights, we have people going way too fast for our city streets,” said Milton Police Chief Tony Hernandez.
Hernandez said planning for the cameras began in 2023. The City of Milton is contracting with Novoa Global, the company operating the cameras.
The Milton Police Department has 16 officers, and although they try to conduct traffic enforcement, they are often called to more critical cases. The cameras will help increase enforcement.
The City of Milton will generate revenue from the traffic enforcement cameras, and all of that revenue is required to go toward traffic safety projects.
“The whole point of the camera program, and the revenue it does generate, is to increase safety for everybody,” Hernandez said.
Fines will vary depending on the type of violation, how fast someone is driving and where it occurs. For example, someone driving 6 to 10 mph over the speed limit will pay the following fines:
Park zone: $115
One woman who has lived in Milton for 20 years said more people have been driving through the city, both because of growth in the area and because drivers are cutting through to avoid traffic on nearby highways and Interstate 5.
“These little podunk streets that used to be nothing are now heavily trafficked,” said Julia DiMaio, a Milton resident.
She added that several kids hang out along Milton Way and that the cameras are needed.
“We have a skate park and a park down the road. This road is used by a lot of kids on scooters and bikes. I don’t want a ticket, but I think it’s a good thing,” DiMaio said.
Another woman who frequently walks on Milton Way said she has nearly been struck by a car before at the intersection of Milton Way and 28th Avenue, where cameras were just installed. She said people need to pay more attention and slow down and that she is hopeful the cameras will help.
“Oh, yes. It will keep some of us alive, in my opinion, anyway,” said Bernie Larsen, a Milton resident.
The traffic infractions will result in fines but will not affect drivers’ insurance.
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