Updated
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – Beginning tomorrow, the registered owners of vehicles caught on camera speeding on Interstate 5 through Centralia will be mailed a $137 citation.
The state Department of Transportation is implementing an automated enforcement system to encourage drivers to slow down in the construction zone between Mellen Street and Blakeslee Junction, north of Harrison Avenue.
A radar and camera unit placed in a small SUV parked near the roadway will capture images of rear license plates in both directions, according to the state agency.
It’s been done before, most recently on Interstate 90 east of Snoqualmie Pass. The program was launched in late 2008 for a widening project in Chehalis, during which more than 1,400 violations were issued, according to DOT.
The ongoing construction project [1]is creating what officials call collection distributor lanes between exit 81 and 82, so local drivers can travel between Chehalis and Centralia without actually merging onto the freeway, according to DOT. The entire project is slated for completion in late 2015, according to DOT spokesperson Abbi Russell.
Agency spokesperson Alice Fineman notes that troopers will continue traditional speed enforcement; the fine for a police officer-issued speeding citation can exceed $400.
The speed camera is expected to be used for the next four to six weeks.
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For more details about how the automated ticketing will work, click here [2]