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City review recommends high-visibility crosswalk at Fortieth/170th; SR 104 and SR 522 speed changes suggested
Summary
A consultant presentation and resident testimony at the Aug. 12 Lake Forest Park City Council meeting highlighted safety concerns at Fortieth Avenue NE and NE 170th St., led to a Transpo Group recommendation for a marked crosswalk there, and recommended speed-limit and camera priorities for SR 104 and SR 522.
Lake Forest Park — A consultant study and several residents urged action on pedestrian safety along NE 170th Street and at other city corridors during the Aug. 12 City Council meeting, and the Transpo Group recommended a high-visibility marked crosswalk at Fortieth Avenue NE as well as targeted changes and camera placements on two state routes.
Residents who live near Fortieth Avenue NE and NE 170th pressed the council for quicker safety improvements. “I live on Fortieth Avenue Northeast. I am here to speak on a potential crosswalk over 170 Eighth,” said Prasanta Jayakodi, who described difficulty crossing the street during morning and afternoon peak traffic. Liz Hawkins told the council she crosses “170 Eighth, from Brookside Avenue to Ballenger Way,” and called the segment “heavily used.” Sally Yamazaki, who said she grew up in the city, said she avoids left turns on the street and urged adding a crosswalk to address safety for children and older residents.
The council later heard a formal study from the Transpo Group. Consultant John Paschal summarized three related analyses the firm performed: “an evaluation of speed limits along state highways, potential locations for additional traffic safety cameras, and then a study of a couple locations for possibly new marked crosswalks.” For SR 522 the study recommended a consistent 35-mile-per-hour limit on the corridor segments reviewed; for the southern segment of SR 104 the firm concluded characteristics and proximity to schools and the town center pointed to a 25-mile-per-hour limit.
On cameras, Transpo Group recommended two candidate speed-camera locations along SR 522 and a candidate location on SR 104 near Lake Forest Park Elementary where many vehicles exceeded the posted speed by 5 mph or more. The consultants did not find supporting data for a new red-light camera at the 30th Avenue/104 intersection: “We couldn't find any data that really supported, or justified a camera at that location,” Paschal said.
Regarding the Fortieth/170th crossing, the report recommended a high‑visibility marked crosswalk west of Fortieth Avenue NE, with potential parking restrictions, supplemental lighting or warning signs, and compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act ramp requirements. Transpo Group also suggested minor geometry changes (striping and a “necking” or bulb-out) to reduce vehicle operating speeds and improve sight lines.
Council members and staff emphasized next steps would require more engineering and coordination with WSDOT for state highway changes. Deputy Mayor and council questioners asked the consultants about timing and scope; Paschal said detailed engineering and coordination would be needed before construction and that the SR 104 recommendation would require further coordination because it’s a state highway.
The transcribed public comments and the consultant presentation were repeatedly folded together in council discussion; multiple council members asked staff to return with cost and implementation options and to consider short-term mitigations while engineering work proceeds.
Ending: The council did not take a formal vote on the consultant recommendations at the Aug. 12 meeting. Staff was asked to return with cost estimates and implementation options for the Fortieth/NE 170th crossing, and council members asked for a broader, city‑wide picture of speed and crash patterns to help prioritize future safety investments.
