Traffic cam watching for speeding near Poulsbo Elementary going live

Marissa Conter

Kitsap Sun | USA TODAY NETWORK

The second of three new traffic-monitoring cameras in Poulsbo goes live next week, with one in a school initially distributing warnings to those caught speeding near Poulsbo Elementary School.

On Monday, the city will begin sending warnings to drivers who the camera records exceeding the speed limit. That probationary period last for 30 days, according to a statement from the Poulsbo Police Department, and then real citations will be issued following. Speed safety cameras are located at the entrance to the school on Noll Road.

Vehicles that speed during the warning period will receive a notice in the mail describing the incident and reminding them to abide by school zone speed limits to ensure the safety of students.

When the traffic camera begins giving out tickets, the police department said penalty fines will vary based on speed. If a driver surpasses the posted limit by 6 to 10 mph, they would face a fine of $150. Going over by 11 to 15 mph amounts to $200 and any speed recorded over 16 mph will incur a fee of $250.

Cameras will capture photos of offending vehicles’ license plates and send the visuals through secure video. According to PPD, law enforcement will review the infraction prior to issuing a fine.

This is the most recent installment in Poulsbo’s new Automated Traffic Safety Program to enhance community safety and eliminate dangerous driving, the statement said. A speed camera was previously placed on Viking Way just north of Finn Hill Road, near a pedestrian entrance to Fish Park, last fall, generating almost 900 speeding citations in under two months.

The city plans to install another traffic camera that would monitor the red light traffic signal at Highway 305 and Bond Road. That would capture drivers who run the red light, rather than speeding, and is scheduled to go into effect early this year, according to PPD.

More information about Poulsbo’s new traffic cameras can be found on the city’s website.