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Resident tells council of dangerous curve near West Mercer on‑ramp; requests signage, enforcement and pavement repairs
Summary
A Mercer Island resident raised safety concerns about a blind corner on West Mercer near the I‑90 west on‑ramp and urged signage, pavement markers, and police presence; city staff said they will follow up with the resident.
Nicole Bernardi, a longtime Mercer Island resident, told the City Council on May 6 that a blind corner on West Mercer near the I‑90 west on‑ramp has become increasingly hazardous for pedestrians and asked the city to consider additional signage, police presence and pavement‑marking repairs.
Bernardi said she has stopped walking in the area because drivers “often come over into the pedestrian side” and pavement markers that once warned motorists have been damaged or disappeared. She told the council she has seen “a lot of near misses” and that she worries someone will be struck.
Why it matters: the complaint highlights a specific neighborhood safety concern and prompted staff to offer to follow up with the resident to explore low‑cost, near‑term mitigations such as repaired pavement markers, additional signage and targeted enforcement.
Details from the appearance - Speaker: Nicole Bernardi, identified at the podium as a longtime Mercer Island resident, described frequent near‑misses on a winding section of West Mercer near the I‑90 west on‑ramp and urged the city to act before an injury occurs.
- Proposed measures offered by Bernardi: additional signage to warn motorists of pedestrians, reinstallation or repair of pavement road markers (rumble strips or tactile lane markers), and increased police presence or “lookout activity” to deter aggressive driving.
- City response: Mayor and staff indicated they had received Bernardi’s email and that council and the city clerk would follow up; city staff said they would continue to field inquiries and coordinate with the resident and police chief.
Quotes Nicole Bernardi: “There used to be pretty clear pavement road pavement markers. A lot of those have been damaged or disappeared…I’ve actually stopped walking on West Mercer in that area because I’m afraid I’ll get hit by a car.”
Process and next steps Bernardi was invited to follow up with the city clerk; Mayor Saleem Nees and staff confirmed they had received email correspondence on the issue and would continue coordination with the police department and the city clerk’s office.
Ending City staff said they will follow up with Bernardi to consider targeted fixes and enforcement in the near term; no formal council action was taken during the meeting.
