Speed camera fines are going up in WA work zones. 85,000 infractions so far
Speed camera fines are set to increase in work zones statewide starting Wednesday, July 1.
First-time infractions will rise from $0 to $125, with second and subsequent fines remaining at $248. According to a June 24 press release from the Washington State Department of Transportation, the speed cameras have been used more than 900 times at about 50 job sites since enforcement began last April.
The trailer-mounted cameras are a part of the WSDOT’s Work Zone Speed Camera Program, which saw the dispersal of three work zone cameras last year across various work zones across the state. Now, the program has six cameras in circulation. Since the program’s inception, more than 85,000 work zone speed camera infractions have been issued statewide, with 77,000 being first-time infractions. From 2020 to 2025, Washington has averaged 1,345 work zone crashes every year.
“Cameras are rotated through different work zones to encourage people to slow down, not to make money,” the press release states.
WSDOT communications officer Amy Moreno emphasized this point in a phone call Friday afternoon. Moreno shared that the department pays Elovate, the camera company supplying the trailer-mounted cameras, a flat fee of $217,000 for monthly administrative costs. This includes payment for the camera software and trailers, as well as technicians who help operate the trailers, run the cameras’ support line, and organize the program’s back office systems. Each deployment will cost $950, with no extra payments in relation to the amount of infractions compiled. Moreno also stated over email with The News Tribune that the Legislature allocated $7.5 million for the Washington State Patrol and $10.6 million for WSDOT from July 2025 to July 2027 to help operate the speed camera program. In the first year, WSDOT spent $4.3 million on the program.
“There is no incentive for extra infractions,” Moreno said. “This is just for the safety of the drivers.”
The cameras will detect a speeding vehicle, after which information will be forwarded to the Washington State Patrol. These photos will not include images of drivers. Notice of the infraction will be mailed to the registered owners of the speeding vehicle within 30 days. After receiving notice, owners can review, contest, or pay the fine on the program’s website. These infractions are recorded as “non-moving violations” and will not affect driving records or insurance.
The state Office of Administrative Hearings will oversee appeals for these infractions. Owners will be able to submit photographs or other supporting documentation for the judge’s consideration. A brief adjudicative proceeding might follow, depending on the appeal, where drivers can provide further documents and provide testimony to a judge over the phone.
Speed camera enforcement began last April in a construction zone on I-5 near Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Moreno shared that there will be 10 cameras in circulation by July, with plans to expand to eastern Washington. By 2027, the program plans to have 15 cameras in total.
