HELP! My Washington Neighborhood is Infested by Rat Runners

If you think this story has anything to do with rodents, you would be mistaken.

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Rat Running in Washington State

If you have been driving long in Washington State, you have most likely seen what is called a "rat runner". A rat runner or rat running is someone who is using private property or a parking lot in order to avoid a stop light or traffic. Wikipedia defines rat running (also known as rodent running or cut-through driving) as "the practice by motorists of using residential side streets or any unintended shortcut such as a parking lot, delivery service lane or cemetery road instead of the intended main road in urban or suburban areas." I live in Kennewick, Washington and there are a few places where I witness rat running happening fairly often (cough...Edison gas station...cough). Over the last 2 years, I have started noticing it in my residential neighborhood.

Rat Running Speeders in My Tri-Cities Neighborhood

Around 2 years ago my family adopted a Husky that needs to be walked daily and I am the lucky soul with that responsibility to make sure it happens. I am disturbed by the increasing trend that I notice in my neighborhood of speeders driving over 40 mph (the speed limit is 25 mph) who obviously don't live here. One speeder in particular who drives a newer white Jeep I see weekly but have yet to capture her license plate. I live near a fairly busy intersection with a stop light and traffic that these drivers try to bypass by speeding through my neighborhood. I recently talked to the local Kennewick Police about my problem and they basically said there was nothing they could do unless they were caught speeding. The problem is that the Kennewick Police DO NOT ever patrol inside the neighborhood, so these speeders continue with their dangerous habit.

Is Rat Running Illegal in Washington State?

No, Washington State does not have any laws making rat running illegal but there are a few municipalities that have passed laws against it. The Washington State cities of Edmonds, Lynnwood, Snohomish, Enumclaw, and Bellingham all have laws against it. The Washington State Patrol says that even though there aren't specific laws about rat running, most are driving "reckless, negligent, or endangering pedestrians or other vehicles" allowing police to pull them over. There are things neighborhoods can do to try and protect themselves from rat running even if there are not laws on the books. Wikipedia says some cities have built "traffic calming features such as chicanes, speed tables, speed cushions, curb extensions, cobbled sections, hidden law enforcement, and various other measures. Other communities install physical barriers that completely block through traffic along routes prone to rat running". I am personally thinking of just installing a huge rat trap in the middle of the roadway. Do you think it will work?