This year’s red-light camera infractions are poised to be higher than last’s, the first increase since Bellevue Police implemented the program in 2010. Next month American Traffic Solutions will add three more cameras around the city as part of a council-approved expansion.

Council approved adding the three additional cameras in July, which will be installed by ATS in December at Northeast Eighth Street and 116th Avenue Northeast westbound, Northeast Eighth and 112th Avenue Northeast east and westbound and a southbound speed zone camera for Sunset Elementary at West Lake Sammamish Boulevard.

Traffic enforcement cameras were authorized by the council in 2009, with two school speed zone cameras at Stevenson and Lake Hills elementary schools and red-light cameras at the north and southbound intersections of 148th Avenue Northeast and Bel-Red Road and southbound 148th Avenue Northeast and Main Street.

There were 19,529 infractions issued from January to October 2010, which dropped 49 percent through 2013, at 9,925. Infractions issued during that same time this year, however, are at 10,341 – 1,316 in October. That remains a 47-percent reduction over 2010 infractions. Southbound 148th at Main had the highest increase this year, up 12 percent through October.

Bellevue Police reported a revenue gain of $2.3 million over the four full years of operating the photo enforcement program, paying $249,000 annually for the ATS service. The cost for the program is now at $441,000 annually. The city anticipates the new enforcement cameras will bring in $690,000 in revenue next year.