If you drive through Lynnwood, Washington, the city’s speed cameras may soon be watching around the clock, not just during the school run.
City leaders are considering a plan to expand Lynnwood’s traffic camera program as part of Mayor George Hurst’s proposed 2027–28 budget. The City Council is scheduled to vote on November 23.
How the Cameras Work Now
Right now, Lynnwood runs:
- Red-light cameras at nine intersections, 24 hours a day
- Speed cameras in two school zones, but only during drop-off and pick-up times
What Would Change
Under the proposal:
- School zone speed cameras would run 24/7. Outside school hours, tickets would be based on the regular 30 mph speed limit. The council would decide exactly how far over the limit a driver must go to get a ticket.
- Two new speed cameras would go up on 44th Avenue West, between 164th Street Southwest and 168th Street Southwest. City staff call this stretch “the S-curves.”
- Fine: The draft rule sets a $145 fine for speeding tickets outside school-zone hours.
“The S-curves have been a speeding and collision problem for us forever,” Deputy Police Chief Chuck Steichen said, according to The Everett Herald.
When It Could Start
If the council approves it, the school zone cameras could start running 24/7 in January. Drivers would get a 30-day grace period before fines start, around February. The new 44th Avenue West cameras may not start issuing tickets until spring or early summer.
The Money Question
The city estimates the expansion could bring in about $1.1 million more in fines through 2027, and another $1.1 million increase in 2028. Under Washington law, cities can only use speed camera money to pay for the camera program and traffic safety.
Not everyone on the council is comfortable with that. “I don’t like that we depend on people to break the law, speed, be dangerous in order for us to make money,” council member Isabel Mata said.
Council President Nick Coelho said the program “lives and dies as public safety” for him, and he wants a public dashboard so residents can see what the cameras are actually doing.
What Lynnwood Drivers Should Do
The easiest way to stay ticket-free is simple: slow down, especially near schools and on 44th Avenue West, and don’t assume a school zone camera is off just because school is out.
Sources