New school zone safety cameras will be activated this month near schools around Seattle, including one on 3rd Ave NW near Greenwood Elementary and another on Fremont Ave N near BF Day Elementary.
The speed cameras are part of the Seattle Department of Transportation’s (SDOT) expansion of its Safe Routes to School program. SDOT says it has now delivered safety improvements at every public school in the city and is rolling out more projects this fall. The program combines infrastructure upgrades, enforcement, and community education to make it safer for children to walk, bike, or roll to school.
According to the department, data from existing school zone cameras show a 71% reduction in crashes during school arrival and dismissal hours. The Greenwood and BF Day cameras are among 37 new cameras at 19 schools citywide, with others planned this year near Bryant Elementary, Hamilton Middle School, and West Seattle High School.
That focus on making 3rd Ave NW safer is already taking shape—last year, SDOT rolled out a series of traffic-calming upgrades along that corridor, including seven new painted crosswalks and two speed cushions between NW 67th and 83rd streets. These features, which include “paint and post” curb bulbs that both shorten crossing distance and improve pedestrian visibility, were specifically designed to help Greenwood Elementary students safely cross toward key neighborhood destinations like the Greenwood Library, St. John School, and the Healthy Street on 1st Ave NW
Other recent Safe Routes projects include crossing improvements at Concord Elementary and new stop signs and crosswalks at Beacon Hill International, James Baldwin, Pacific Crest, and West Woodland Elementary schools. Funding from the new Seattle Transportation Levy will support at least 70 additional projects through 2032.
SDOT is also continuing programs such as free helmets and bike lights for students, $1,500 mini-grants for PTAs and community groups, and the Let’s Go safety education curriculum in partnership with Seattle Public Schools and Cascade Bicycle Club.
Some schools are adopting “School Streets,” which are car-free blocks during drop-off and pick-up hours. Five schools, including Whittier Elementary and Genesee Hill Elementary, have made those streets permanent, featuring student-designed pavement art.
Seattle Public Schools says about 30% of elementary students—more than 7,000 children—are expected to walk, bike, or roll to school this year.
More details about the program are available at Seattle Safe Routes to School.
Photo: SDOT