2990 Block of East Bay Street (NB)

Tacoma, WashingtonDec 08, 20098 Comments

City of Tacoma has installed a Photo Enforcement Camera. Speed limit is 35 mph. Warning letters went out the first 15 days. Citations started on December 2nd, 2009. $101.

Comments:
According to the Tacoma News Tribune, the city's uniformed tax collectors wrote 2100 road tax citations worth $212,000 in the first week. The city is looking at $11 mil from this one camera per year.
#1Dec 12, 2009Report Abuse
It has become painfully clear (to me at least) that this is Indeed a speed trap. Their (the City of Tacoma) so-called "Speed Enforcement Camera" flashed me on the 26th of December supposedly doing 51mph in a 35mph zone. Problem: The spot where I was flashed is right at the entrance to an almost 90 degree turn. If I was doing that speed, I would have rolled my truck. It's simply not possible to do that speed coming into that turn. Combined with GPS data from my vehicle, I have confirmed that I was not going that fast. The issue lies with the Tacoma City Government. Their prevailing attitude is, "Well, you had to be speeding to trip the camera, no matter what the radar states. Therefore, you are guilty." There is no negotiation and no options. Individuals who have tried contesting the tickets or requesting mitigation are reporting a 100% failure rate in getting the fine reduced, resulting in not only still having to pay the fine, but also losing a day of work in the process. In short, it's cheaper to simply pay the fine. The worst part? I was flashed again two days later at the Same intersection. Watching the video shows that I was simply rolling with traffic. The truly astonishing part is that clearly shown in the video, two cars ahead of truck, was a county sheriff deputy. We were all traveling the same speed. The consensus from the court representative? Irrelevant. I had to be speeding to trip the camera. What a Scam! My advice to all drivers who travel River Road or Pioneer Ave. coming into Bay Street: If they won't make the cameras fair, let's play it the other way. Slow down to about 20 mph at the Stop Light. Continue to do 20 completely through the curve and up onto the Interstate ramp. You can speed up from there. Will it create a backup? Probably. Will you receive a ticket? Well, according to the the City of Tacoma, you shouldn't. Maybe if the backup becomes big enough, it will actually make the city officials in Tacoma fix the thing.
#2Jan 11, 2010Report Abuse
I received a ticket on 1/2/2010, it said I was doing 45 in a 35 speed zone. The video shows two cars in front of me that were going the same speed but they didn't get the flash. But I noticed something; on the ticket (sent from Arizona) it said I violated ordinances Revised Code of Washington 46.61.440 pursuant to 46.61.170.csc and Tacoma municipal code chapter 11.05 et seq. I found copies of all these laws and discovered that RCW 46.61.170 does not exist. Tacoma has misstated the law and have been applying fines to a made up law. The actual law is 46.63.170. I'm requesting a hearing and will try to have it thrown out. If I'm not successful I will appeal. I'm also going to subpoena the police officer and maintenance records for the radar and camera, and try to make a rep from redflex show-up. Bottom line is that $101 dollar fine will cost Tacoma over $5,000 to collect. I suggest that everyone that a ticket check what they were charged with because they cited the wrong law, actual a law that doesn't exist.
#3Jan 14, 2010Report Abuse
A smallish sign posted before the curve says: "Our traffic laws photo enforced." This is a rather generic sign, and could apply to any road in Tacoma. If "safety" rather than generating revenue were the goal, Tacoma would erect a large sign saying "Radar camera ahead. Speed 35MPH". This would guarantee virtual 100% compliance with the speed law. Being that that signage is NOT employed, this means the City is willing to trade some speeding, and some chance of accidents, in exchange for revenue. END OF STORY, END OF DEBATE for any city employing cameras without a specific "camera message".
#4Mar 16, 2010Report Abuse
Thanks #3 for that information. I checked my ticket of 3/21/2010. You are correct...It appears that they have since corrected the mis-information because mine states 46.61.400 pursuant to 46.63.170. Great job catching it. You may even beat the rap! I don't think I will tho...unless you have discovered any more info that I may be able to use in a hearing. Gotta be quick to this is the 10th...I need to pay it by the 12th. Best to you!!
#5Apr 10, 2010Report Abuse
I got 3 tickets in a matter of a week! all say I was doing 45 in a 35 its ridiculous and there where other cars going same speed limit as me I never drive any faster than speed limit.
#6Aug 10, 2016Report Abuse
I got a ticket on 10/13/16 for 124.00 Fine... 46 in a 35 I believe this "Speed Trap" camera location is against Washington State law. Per RCW 46.63.170 (Which is stated on the infraction) "Use of automated traffic safety cameras is restricted to the following locations only: Intersections - Railroad Crossings and School Zones" This enforcement camera is not located at any 3 of the above mentioned locations. I think Tacoma, should reimburse every dollar, back to everyone who has paid citations from camera (TAC-29BA-01 NB 2990 Block of E. Bay St.) Any Lawyers want to chime in about this?
#7Oct 25, 2016Report Abuse
I thought I would give some information here that might be helpful. While RCW 46.63.170 does indeed limit the use of of automated traffic safety cameras to the locations of Intersections - Railroad Crossings and School Zones it also contains a small subsection permitting two cities namely Seattle and Tacoma to each have one camera placed at a different location as part of a pilot program and this location is Tacoma's use of that provision. So the mere existence of the camera there is legit. Having said that I argued against it using the court by mail option and received notice today that my ticket was dismissed. The ticket was dismissed without comment as it was done by mail and maybe the judge was just being nice because of the holidays but I do think my points are valid and perhaps you may be able to use the same points for you own should you get ticketed. Here is what I argued: 1) The camera location is unique being one of two such cameras that may be in existence given state law, 2) Because the location is unique nobody would know of its existence unless they had either already been cited by it (which I had not) or because they saw a sign properly posting its location as required by state law, 3) There is no sign visible in the speed camera video which would meet the requirements of state law, 4) The closest sign making mention of a camera when traveling west is just prior to a stop light which would naturally leave the average reasonable person to assume that it was referring to the intersection with the stop light that they were about to pass through and not the area next to the curve that came afterwards, and 5) since there was no reason why the camera could not have been placed after the intersection to avoid confusion this would suggest an intentional act of deception on the part of the city of Tacoma to mislead drivers and therefore violates the whole point of the law which is supposed to allow drivers to identify the location of the camera. Therefore the ticket should be dismissed.
#8Dec 30, 2016Report Abuse

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