The city of Renton is receiving grant money to help fund traffic patrols in the city in pursuit of zero traffic fatalities each year.
On Oct. 20, the Renton City Council approved the execution of an interagency agreement with the Washington Traffic Safety Commission to receive a portion of $272,000 in grant funds to conduct multi-jurisdictional, high visibility traffic safety emphasis patrols in support of Target Zero priorities.
Renton Police Public Information Officer Meeghan Black said the department will receive $21,000 for officers to work on an overtime basis.
“The funds will support as many patrols as possible. It depends on how many officers participate. Last year, we did 25 to 30 extra patrols,” Black said.
The funds are broken down into different enforcement types receiving different funding: $8,000 for impaired driving, $2,500 for speeding, $3,000 for distracted driving, $500 for seatbelt infractions, and $7,000 for the 140th Avenue SE corridor.
“Mainly our traffic unit does the enforcement, but occasional patrol officers will also jump on an overtime shift for a particular emphasis. Only officers trained for DUI/drug patrols are eligible for the impaired driving patrols,” Black said, noting that the money is budgeted for the violations that cause the most injuries or death. “Sometimes, they are a combo, such as distraction and speed together can be deadly, and of course, impaired driving. Our traffic unit keeps records of the overtime hours spent on each emphasis patrol, so the WTSC knows where the money is being allocated.”
Target Zero is an attempt to reduce roadway-related fatalities and serious injuries to zero. Renton Transportation Planning Manager Ellen Talbo has previously said some cities even go so far as to establish a goal of zero fatalities and serious injuries by a certain date.
Renton began working on its first Target Zero plan earlier this year. Talbo said, along with better speed enforcement, solutions in the plan can include improvements to the physical infrastructure or developments of better safety educational programs for the community. In June, Talbo said the city will be “far more engaging” with the community in forming the plan. A task force would include public works, police department and communications staff from the city and officials from fire authorities, EMT and emergency response.
“We need their voices at the table as well because they are part of the pie, if you will, in addressing roadway-related crashes,” Talbo said. “We also want to engage with interested community members and particularly community groups from under-represented communities throughout the city.”
