New measure to slow drivers in work zones comes to WA
New speed cameras are being used on Washington highways where road crews are working.
The hope is that these will encourage drivers to slow down, and keep everyone safer.
Every year since 2020, there have been more and more collisions on Washington highways in areas where road crews are trying to get work done.
Between 2020 and 2024, the number of these work zone collisions rose almost 40%, so the state is putting a new enforcement measure in place — cameras to capture speeding drivers.
"The bottom line is to increase safety, reduce injuries and fatalities and really make sure people do come home to their families at night," Kyle Miller, Washington State Department of Transportation's program manager, said.
The department is trialing one camera. It will move to different work zones. Miller told NWPB that workers have already told him they've noticed that when the camera is there, traffic is slowing down.
Amy Moreno, spokesperson for the Washington State Department of Transportation, said speeding through these areas threatens drivers, their passengers and the road construction workers who are just trying to do their jobs.
" Those workers are out there, sometimes they just have a barrier… to protect them, and people are flying right through their work zone," she said.
Wash-DOT rolled the first camera out in April. Drivers will see signs that read “Work Zone Speed Limit Photo Enforced” when the camera is being used.
If you get a ticket because you were speeding there, it’ll come from the Washington State Patrol.
But the first violation won’t cost you anything. It’s zero dollars.
WA to require quicker turnaround on carbon emission reporting
Washington is taking steps to improve its years-long delay in climate data reporting.
A bill signed by Gov. Bob Ferguson Friday changes the schedule on which the Department of Ecology and the Department of Commerce would have to report their carbon emissions to the governor and legislature.
"Currently, these reports are only required every two years. This bill mandates yearly reports beginning in 2030 and requires summary data in odd number of years until then," Ferguson said during the bill signing ceremony. "More frequent data will help us determine whether adjustments are needed to ensure our policies help us meet our state's ambitious climate goals."
The state is currently years behind on its reporting.
Kennewick Republican Senator and bill sponsor Matt Boehnke said state lawmakers only got data from 2020 this year, in 2025.
He's said the quicker turnaround will help the legislature make more fine-tuned decisions on climate and economic policy.
NW fire outlook predicts elevated risk
Fire officials say this year's wildfire season in Washington and Oregon could look a lot like last year’s: expensive and destructive.
The region is at an elevated risk for large fires, according to a forecast out this week.
John Saltenberger, fire program manager at the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center, said wildfire risk will likely be elevated in the Inland Northwest starting in June.
"As we move into July, then we're anticipating, Eastern Oregon and just about all of Washington to come into an elevated risk for large costly fires," he told partner station OPB. "And then as we move into August, we're expanding that risk area to cover all of Oregon and Washington.”
Saltenberger said people should always be prepared for sudden fire outbreaks and always follow fire restrictions.
Candidates prepare to file for 2025 elections in WA
Across Washington, candidates will be able to file for this year’s elections this morning.
Filing opens at 8:00 a.m. for the city council, county commission, school board and special district races — like fire, water and cemetery districts — happening around the state.
None of the legislative special elections are taking place in eastern Washington.
But Spokane District 3 City Council member Zack Zappone and District 1’s Jonathan Bingle have already announced plans to seek reelection.
Meanwhile, District 2’s Lili Navarrete has said she does not intend to run for her seat.
Candidates have until the end of business Friday to file their paperwork and pay all requisite fees.
New record set at 2025 Bloomsday
A Kenyan woman set a new record Sunday at the 49th annual Bloomsday race in Spokane.
Veronica Loleo finished the 12-kilometer course in just over 38 minutes, breaking the previous elite women’s division record by just one hundredth of a second.
The other top finishers at yesterday’s race include a first-time Bloomsday runner named Patrick Kiprop, who won the elite men’s division; Hermin Garic, who won the men’s elite wheelchair division; and Hannah Balboa, who finished first in the women’s division of elite wheelchair racers.
In total, nearly 33,000 people registered for this year’s race.
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Reporting by Lauren Gallup, Owen Henderson, and Jeff Thompson.