Moses Lake installs camera near school zone

Fines up to $250 to curb speeding

MOSES LAKE - Two traffic cameras in the school zone on South Pioneer Way near the intersection with Hunter Place will document speeders beginning Monday.

Monday marks the kickoff of the "20 is Plenty" program created by the Moses Lake Police Department. Vehicles documented speeding faster than 20 mph in the school zone during designated times will receive a warning during the first two weeks of the program, Moses Lake police Chief Dean Mitchell said.

Afterward, people can receive fines ranging between $112 and $250 if they fail to stay beneath the limit.

The photo-enforced South Pioneer Way school zone spans from the intersection of Nelson Road to a few feet south of the intersection of Sharon Avenue.

Cameras capture southbound and northbound drivers and function on school days from 7:30 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. and from 2:20 p.m. to 3:20 p.m., he said. The cameras do not function at any other times. The school zone times could be adjusted in the future.

He said the times set for South Pioneer Way are lengthier than other areas because there are three schools utilizing the area and they all open and close at different times. The three schools are Garden Heights Elementary, Chief Moses Middle School and Moses Lake High School.

The enforcement system is set to coincide with the flashing light system on South Pioneer Way at Sharon Avenue which indicates school zone times, Mitchell said.

Drivers who fail to slow to 20 mph are photographed and video recorded, he said. To determine if drivers are speeding, sensors are activated and measure time and distance to determine speed.

The camera system photographs the vehicle license plate. By state law, the system is prohibited from photographing the face of the driver. The citation is sent to the registered owner of the vehicle. If the registered owner was not the driver when the camera was activated, they can provide a sworn statement in court to avoid the citation. If someone lies about whether or not they were the driver, they can face criminal charges.

Mitchell said the program is implemented because drivers are often caught speeding in the school zone.

He said research indicates if drivers are slowed to 20 mph, the likelihood of serious injury or fatality is reduced by 50 percent in areas with high pedestrian traffic.

Officers are emphasizing patrols in all school zones in Moses Lake to remind drivers to slow, Mitchell said. If ticketed by an officer for speeding in a school zone, fines from $189 to $558.