(The Center Square) – The City of Kirkland Police Department will launch a pilot program that detects excessively loud vehicles.
The study will test new automated vehicle noise identification cameras in designated zones within the city.
The police department has identified two locations for the technology to be tested: Downtown Kirkland and near Houghton Beach Park.
The program stems from the Washington Traffic Safety Commission. The commission authorized Kirkland to be the first city in the state to implement the street racing noise program.
According to the city, the pilot program is scheduled to be initiated by the end of the year with a follow-up report to be provided by the end of June, 2023.
Kirkland City Councilmember Jon Pascal said community members continue to voice their concerns over loud noises caused by “illegally modified vehicles” that race through local streets.
“Participating in this innovative study is the first step towards helping the city better address the concerns we’ve heard from our community members over the years,” Pascal said in a statement. “The pilot will also help inform the state legislature to determine whether state law should be changed to allow local agencies the ability to use this technology to enforce noise laws.”
Signs will be posted within 200 feet of the cameras notifying drivers about the equipment.
The Kirkland Police Department said it will not have access to images taken by the cameras that can identify vehicle drivers or occupants.
As part of this program, the equipment vendor has taken precautions to ensure the privacy of drivers who travel through the testing locations.
The program’s tests will be used to collect data to assess the performance of the noise identification equipment to see if it can be used in the future to issue citations after police officer review.
Gloss