Aurora Speed

One can never receive too many reminders to drive safe during the holiday season.  

Similarly, it seems that one can't receive too many reminders about driving safe on Aurora Avenue these days.  In mid-December, the Aurora Traffic Safety Project, which was officially launched last June, unveiled its second in a series of billboards that are a part of the project's effort to improve safety and reduce collisions along the Aurora corridor.

Located on Aurora facing northbound traffic at 47th Street, the billboard features a picture of a police officer with a radar gun next to the words, "Speeding? Expect a $144 ticket."  And, apparently, this isn't just an empty threat.  

According to the Aurora Traffic Safety Project's Facebook page, the Seattle Police Department has written over 3000 speeding tickets since the project, also called the "Expect the Unexpected" campaign, began back in mid-June.  In addition to increased enforcement, other measures of the two year effort include:

New street name signs

Improved regulatory and warning signs

Radar speed signs at several locations accompanied by increased enforcement efforts at each location

New stop bars at all signalized intersections to provide additional guidance emphasizing the point at which vehicles are required to stop

New crosswalks and curb ramps at two locations

An educational campaign intended to raise awareness about the characteristics of this roadway

As for the first billboard, it appeared back in mid-November at Aurora and 107th St.  This billboard included dramatic image of a smashed vehicle accompanied by the question and answer, "R U Speeding? 419 crashes last year on Aurora."  

For more Aurora collision data, check out this Aurora|Seattle post.