Thursday, October 1, 2026
In a unanimous vote, the Olympia City Council directed the Community Livability and Public Safety Committee to research the potential use of speed safety cameras, adding the topic to the committee’s 2026 work plan.
Council member Kelly Green introduced the referral at a meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 6, asking the committee to evaluate feasibility and consider whether speed enforcement cameras could improve traffic safety, particularly in school zones and other high-pedestrian areas.
Green said the referral stems from growing concerns about speeding on city streets, even as Olympia continues to invest in walkability, biking and multimodal transportation.
“If we are trying to make this a more walkable place, multimodal transportation, and if it is not safe to use one of those modes, then we can put in as many sidewalks as we want, and it doesn’t address all of the issues,” Green told the council.
She noted three or four pedestrian fatalities in the past year and described “a trend towards increasing speeds” on city streets.
Green also cited a recent Thurston County Sheriff’s Office speed emphasis in a school zone that resulted in 15 traffic stops in 25 minutes.
While she praised the enforcement, she said relying on officers is time intensive, provides only spot checks, and captures drivers only when officers are present.
“This feels like there’s potential for technology to spot that all the time, and officers can continue to do all of the other things we need officers to do,” Green added.
Mayor Dontae Payne said the referral does not authorize the installation of cameras, but begins a research and community engagement process.
“We are not doing anything yet. We are exploring this as a potential tool,” said Payne, as he tried to allay possible community concerns.
In December 2025, the city removed Flock Safety’s automated license plate recognition cameras from 15 locations following a recommendation from Olympia Police Department Interim Chief Shelby Parker, citing community concerns and the potential misuse of data by federal agencies.
Council member Robert Vanderpool said the process could help establish community standards around camera use, while also generating data to inform public works projects and school zone safety efforts.
According to Council member Paul Berendt, speeding has become the most frequent public safety concern he hears from residents.
“Ten comments about speeding for every one about other issues,” Berendt said. “It is a critical need to slow traffic down.”
Council member Clark Gilman also voted to support the referral, but expressed skepticism about using cameras to slow traffic citywide. He hopes the discussion will spark a broader conversation about traffic safety.
Gilman noted roads like Martin Way, Harrison Avenue and Capital Way are wide roads that encourage speeding.
“I don't think that speed signs or traffic cameras necessarily slow you down, but chicanes and speed bumps, and weaving back and forth are more effective. My hope is that we'll have a broader conversation about the objective of slowing traffic down through the city," Gilman said.
The referral outlines several factors the committee must consider, including privacy protections, data scrutiny, staffing resource needs, potential revenue limitations under state law and consistency with Sanctuary City commitments.
The review will also examine equity. The Washington Traffic Safety Commission guidance attached to the referral emphasizes placing cameras carefully to avoid disproportionately affecting marginalized communities.
A staff report stated children, seniors, people with disabilities, and individuals who rely on walking, biking or transit are most at risk from unsafe speeding and bear the highest burden of unsafe speeding behavior.
17 comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here
The_Armed_Gardener
I'm sorry about how you feel about being seen on camera, Olympia.
Thursday, January 8 Report this
Bigjules
The flashing light option at the crosswalks are an excellent safety measure. I would like to see them installed on more pedestrian crosswalks
Thursday, January 8 Report this
chrispc2u
Cameras in school zones? Maybe, but in other cities traffic cameras are looked at as a cop out cash cow for city coffers. I think it too intrusive. Human interaction is better. Why aren’t we hiring more police officers to conduct speed traps instead? Lakewood is a terrible place to drive for that reason.. It’s Orwellian and I DON’T LIKE IT. Kelly Green needs to get off her MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) high horse. I’m sure you drive the exact speed limit every where you go. RIIGHTTT.
Thursday, January 8 Report this
OlyBlues
You could not find a more useless group of people than the Olympia city council. Ban Flock cameras for recording and surveillance despite solving multiple serious felony crimes...murders, shootings, etc. BUT speeding!! We must install all the cameras!! What a joke.
Thursday, January 8 Report this
Olyrkrgrrl
I'm all for safety and stopping speeders...but must we always resort to more surveillance cameras? I really think that people here speed for two reasons: One, the speed limit is only 25mph in a lot of places, where people obviously want to go faster, even only 5mph faster. Two, it is VERY rare to see anyone being stopped by police for speeding. Or anything else. So, if people don't see anything being enforced, it is easier to think it doesn't matter. My sugggestion is to design a limited time program focused just on traffic violations, assign a small group of officers to implement it, and make a big deal out of it publicly. And/or, do this occasionally, to reinforce the idea that if you speed, you MIGHT get pulled over! Otherwise, the mice are free to play with no restraint. And, getting a ticket in the mail from a facelass robot, is pretty annonymous. Being pulled over in public view, not so much. Also, using those 'watch your speed' signs with the display telling you how fast you are going, would be a good additional measure. These things may nbot catch the really eggregious offenders, but I think it would serve as a reminder to more people, to be aware of their speed and make Olympia a safer place.
Thursday, January 8 Report this
JohnGear
Everyone concerned with this question should inform themselves with this excellent post by a civil engineer/urban planner Chuck Marohn, who has gone on to found the outstanding group STRONGTOWNS.org, which is about helping cities become more fiscally resilient and better places to live. There is a ton of hard won wisdom in this post:
https://archive.strongtowns.org/journal/2021/8/6/the-key-to-slowing-traffic-is-street-design-not-speed-limits
Thursday, January 8 Report this
TheVirtualOne
Ditto what OlyBlues said above. Turn the Flock cameras back on and do your job protecting the public, not the criminals.
Thursday, January 8 Report this
VDRAKE2
With all the hubbub around the feds getting hold of local video cameras I'm thinking this is too orwellian for my taste. Especially in olympia. And I agree with some of the other writers here in stating that this is one stroke too far. I thought the city council was going to be better in the new year but boy was I wrong it seems that they are on this ship moving towards 2060 and a way that is very disturbing. I just hope we don't turn upside down inside out and turn into another Minnesota Portland Etc soon installing more cameras is going to work into that you realize that don't you? So now the only question is do we get to vote on this?
Thursday, January 8 Report this
nonnanancy
All I know is that when my husband and I were crossing the street by Capital Medical Center, a car that was 2 blocks away sped up so that by the time we were halfway across the street we had to scurry to get out of his way. Then he gave us a snarl and the finger. The speed limit there is 25. Most people are happy to kindly stop for us as we are 83 and 72 and a rather cute couple. I don't know if that driver was showing us his age or his IQ.
Friday, January 9 Report this
HappyOlympian
All for it, Olympia area "boasts" worst drivers outside of Oregon. Light up the violators and whack 'em hard with massive fines. Overall, not a fan of the police state, but we are stuck with it and it ain't going away. This particular application of the spying apparatus a real benefit. Time to slow down and pay attention. Shocked the council voted for this, they are proving to be incredibly inconsistent on what they support.
Friday, January 9 Report this
Taxpayer
Its interesting that many of Olympia City Counsel concerns can be tied back to left policies like defund the police, sanctuary city status and pro drug use laws. Why is it that Olympia is bent out of shape about cameras catching law breakers but insist on police having body cameras? If you don't want Olympia to turn i to Minneapolis or Portland maybe we need to increase the use of cameras and follow arrests up with convictions.
Friday, January 9 Report this
ddttwo2
I agree 100% with Taxpayer!!
Friday, January 9 Report this
Mugwump
Do we not have police? Do we not know when and where people are most likely to be speeding? Do the police not have radar guns?
Why ... why on Earth when the streets and sidewalks are literally falling apart; when addicted and mentally ill homeless are literally dying on the streets; when other local infrastructure is insufficient or crumbling; why would tax payers NOT be outraged by the very IDEA of spending OUR MONEY on dithering studies about speed cameras? Have we not ALREADY tread this path only to find that speed cameras are expensive and ineffective at a minimum and un-Constitutional at worst?
This is yet another example of the government-as-a-vending-machine analogy. We, the taxpayers faithfully pay our money year after year hoping that our tax money will improve our city/county/state/country. We put our money in the vending machine slot, we push the button for our candy or chips. The machine whirs but the candy/chips never fall. We have come to a point in our national history where people are beginning to shake the machine.
I am a person that does not begrudge paying my taxes. I am a person that truly believes that government CAN have a beneficial role in our society. But I am increasingly becoming a person that believes our government is inept at a minimum and corrupt at worst.
PS, I hate using capital letters in comments.
Friday, January 9 Report this
JW
I expect all the leftist flock camera crybabies to be throwing an equally efficacious fit over these speed cameras.
But I'll be disappointed. Truly laughable maneuvering by city leadership. They love cameras when it rakes in some revenue.
Friday, January 9 Report this
SecondOtter
What we need is RED LIGHT cameras. Virtually every time I drive in Olympia/Tumwater/Lacey, someone runs a red light. They also ignore Stop signs. Now, mind you, whomever sets the timers on the traffic lights is pretty dumb...some lights last for minutes, some lights last for seconds, there is no rhyme or reason to the timing.
Put up red light cameras, Oly, and you'll get plenty of income.
Saturday, January 10 Report this
Mugwump
Can I just say one more thing about this story? Going back to the concept of using the police to enforce speed limits; doing so is hardly a budget buster and police know where and when speeding is most likely to occur. But using police is most likely limited to major thoroughfares. So here's another crazy idea that could apply to more narrow neighborhood streets where speeding occurs regularly even though the posted speed limit is 25mph ... Like it's WAY OUT THERE. Speed bumps. I wonder what the cost differential is between a) financing study after study, hiring multiple consultants to help persuade residents, and finally purchasing or leasing and then installing and maintaining multiple cameras ... and b) installing some speed bumps.
Come on city leaders. This is not that hard.
Saturday, January 10 Report this
CobraCommander
The_Armed_Gardener - I'm sorry about how you feel about allowing progressive mass surveillance.
Sunday, January 11 Report this