Redmond, WA – In an effort to curb speeding and improve safety around local schools, the City of Redmond and the Redmond Police Department are set to launch a Speed Safety Camera Pilot Program in 2026.
The initiative will focus on school zones, where data shows speeding remains a persistent concern and where children and other vulnerable pedestrians are most at risk.
As part of the pilot program, speed safety cameras will be installed near three schools: Redmond High School at 17272 N 104th Street, Redmond Middle School at 10055 166th Avenue NE, and Rose Hill Middle School at 13505 NE 75th Street.
The Cameras are designed to detect vehicles traveling above the posted speed limit and are intended to encourage safer driving behavior rather than punish drivers.
According to Redmond Police, speed safety cameras are a proven traffic safety tool. The federal Highway Administration classifies them as a “Proven Safety Countermeasure,” citing research that shows collisions in school zones can be reduced by as much as 54 percent when speed cameras are in use.
Additional studies have found that these systems can reduce roadway fatalities and serious injuries by up to 47 percent, while also increasing compliance with speed limits.
Local data reinforces the need for action. Speed surveys conducted in January 2025 at the three school locations revealed widespread speeding during school zone hours.
At both Redmond High School and Redmond Middle School, approximately 20 percent of vehicles were recorded traveling at least six miles per hour over the speed limit.
The situation was even more concerning at Rose Hill Middle School, where more than half of the surveyed vehicles exceeded the speed limit by six miles per hour or more.
The Speed Safety Camera Pilot Program is structured to prioritize safety rather than revenue generation.
Under Revised Code of Washington 46.63.220, any funds generated through the program must be reinvested into local traffic safety improvements.
Planned uses include safer crosswalks, improved signage, and infrastructure changes designed to slow traffic and improve visibility around schools.
The city also emphasized that the vendor responsible for operating the speed safety cameras will be paid a fixed administrative fee.
Compensation will not be tied to the number of citations issued, a measure intended to ensure the system is managed fairly and without incentives to increase violations.
Redmond Police describe the cameras as one part of a broader approach to traffic safety that includes education, engineering, and enforcement.
Community members are encouraged to learn more about the program, including how the cameras work and where they will be located, by visiting the city’s website at redmond.gov/SpeedSafetyCameras.
Police officials also remined drives to remain alert, obey posted speed limits, and watch for students and pedestrians, especially during school hours.
