KENNEWICK, Wash. – The city of Kennewick is enforcing a new ordinance aimed at improving traffic safety by prohibiting a common driving maneuver known as a “cut through.” This maneuver involves drivers avoiding traffic lights by driving through parking lots.
The ordinance, passed by the Kennewick City Council on September 16, now makes cut-throughs illegal. Drivers caught could face a $250 fine. However, Kennewick Police Commander Isaac Merkl emphasized that the main goal is not to fine drivers.
“The goal is always education over enforcement,” said Merkl. “However, if enforcement is needed, this allows police to take that action so that we try to reduce those amount of times that businesses are seeing those cut through is in their parking lots.”
One of the intersections most affected by cut-throughs is Gage Boulevard and Steptoe Street. Feedback from the community highlighted this as a significant issue.
“We had a lot of people say, ‘we need to look at this intersection and this intersection and this intersection,'” said Merkl. “Businesses have asked for this help. And we are trying to reduce those cut through traffic in there so that we eliminate the chance of cars colliding or worse, a car colliding with a human being.”
Merkl acknowledged that people often resort to cut-throughs when in a rush but suggested a simple solution.
“Give yourself more time,” Merkl said. “And don’t put yourself in that situation where you feel like you need to do that cut through…It may seem very simple at the time until you collide with a vehicle or a person, and then that becomes very, very complicated.”
Signs have been installed on Steptoe Street to inform drivers of the new ordinance. This measure aims to reduce potential accidents and promote safer driving in Kennewick.
