Seattle considers 'restricted racing zones' on streets

A Seattle City Council committee is reviewing a plan that would designate certain streets as "restricted racing zones."

The proposal would bring the city in line with a state law passed last year that allows cities to use automated enforcement cameras to cite racing violators in these specific areas.

In Seattle, six areas are being considered as restricted racing zones:

• Alki Avenue SW between 63rd Avenue SW and Harbor Avenue SW
• Harbor Avenue SW between Alki Avenue SW and SW Spokane Street
• West Marginal Way SW between SW Spokane Street and Second Avenue SW
• Sand Point Way NE between 38th Avenue NE and NE 95th Street
• NE 65th Street between Sand Point Way NE and Magnuson Park
• Roadways inside Magnuson Park including, but not limited to, NE 65th Street and Lake Shore Drive NW

The ordinance doesn't necessarily add new traffic cameras to Seattle streets. Rather, it allows for a new use of existing traffic cameras, as well as new ones. According to the bill, the new use would be to "detect speed violations in walk areas, public park zones, hospital zones, and restricted racing zones."

RELATED: Kirkland has new cameras targeting speeding drivers

The cameras are managed by the Seattle Police Department. An officer would be required to review and approve citations.

The Council's Transportation and Public Utilities Committee could take a look at the proposal again sometime next month. If approved, the Council expects that the plan will go active in coming years as new budgets are crafted.

According to the proposed ordinance, Seattle has embraced similar camera enforcement programs over the years that are now commonplace. Red light cameras went live in 2006. School zone cameras went up in 2012, and cameras for "blocking the box" at intersections as well as in transit-only lanes began in 2022. The city's current 2023-24 budget also includes money to increase the number of school zone cameras in Seattle from 35 to 70.

Seattle is not the only local city looking to tech to tackle speeding and street racing. In 2022, Kirkland became the first Washington city to try a new technology that measures the level of noise racing cars produce, and in turn activates cameras to capture potential racing. A pilot program for this experimental tech began in December.