BY MAYOR JOHN MARCHIONE AND CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT RICHARD COLE

As many residents are aware, Redmond established a pilot traffic and school zone safety program earlier this year.

The goals of this program are simple: (1) modify dangerous driver behavior and (2) prevent car-pedestrian accidents in school zones.

Traffic safety has long been one of our community’s top concerns, and this program promised to be an effective use of technology to affect behavior, reduce the cost of enforcement and improve traffic safety.

Much like the shoplifting cameras we see in so many grocery and retail stores, the cameras collect evidence of possible violations. This evidence is then reviewed by an officer to determine if an actual violation occurred. Then and only then is a ticket issued. The violation does not go on one’s driving record, and the City Council has mandated that any funds remaining after court costs be dedicated to capital projects that improve traffic and pedestrian safety.

By using technology in this way, the city could otherwise put its limited number of police officers to work in schools, in neighborhoods, and around town to address other public safety issues that are important to Redmond’s citizens.

From the beginning, the Council and the Mayor committed to review this pilot program after a year. We have appreciated the many residents we have heard from on both sides of the issue over two years of public process, from emails to conversations at National Night Out events in August to public testimony at Council meetings.  Consistent with what we have told residents all along, next month we will review all the data and community input gathered to date to determine the future of the program.

The recent initiative petition will be another important consideration in this discussion, and represents the wishes of some who would like to vote on traffic/school safety cameras in February 2012.

It is worthwhile to note that the petition circulated in Redmond is virtually identical to one in the City of Bellingham that was recently invalidated by the Washington Court of Appeals. The Court of Appeals noted in the Bellingham case that a petition to require a vote on traffic and school safety cameras “exceeds the lawful scope of the initiative power; it is not a valid ballot measure.”

Despite the court’s ruling on the petition’s validity, the Council and Mayor have heard the perspective of our residents who signed it, and will consider this along with all the data and other feedback we have received as part of our ongoing assessment.

Our evaluation will be completed by December, well before any referendum can be held. To discontinue this review at this time would be a disservice to our community, and an abdication of the City Council’s duty on an issue which the Court of Appeals has clearly affirmed is its responsibility.

As we prepare for these discussions next month, we continue to welcome your thoughts at mayorcouncil@redmond.gov.

John Marchione is the Mayor of Redmond and Richard Cole is the City Council President.