Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety Pedestrian topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council asks police to educate pedestrians at Tri City stop after member flags safety concerns
Summary
Councilors urged police to perform an education and enforcement sweep at a busy Tri City crossing after members and residents raised concerns about people crossing outside the crosswalk; staff were asked to report back if noncompliance continues.
Council members raised pedestrian-safety concerns at the Tri City food-stop area on Feb. 25 and asked law enforcement to begin an education effort to reduce risky crossings.
Council member Sebring (identified in meeting as a council speaker raising the point) said drivers frequently encounter pedestrians leaving the food-stop and that she's observed people running across Washington Boulevard rather than using the marked crossing. She told the council: "As sooner or later, somebody's gonna get thumped there, and it's not gonna be a pretty side." The council discussed potential options including crosswalks, lighting and enforcement but noted many suggestions cited by residents may fall outside routine city responsibilities.
The mayor asked the police lieutenant to make an outreach effort during a Friday event to educate people about using the crosswalk and to monitor behavior: "Then if it doesn't improve, we can go from there." Staff were asked to bring noncompliance items to the council so members could consider enforcement or other actions if education does not reduce risky crossings.
No ordinance, funding or formal policy change was approved at the meeting; the action recorded in the minutes is a direction to police to perform education and monitoring during planned community activity and to report results to council if problems persist.
