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Residents press council to address dangerous crossing, urge traffic changes near Fifth Avenue and Safeway
Summary
Multiple residents urged Sunnyside City Council to study and act on traffic-safety issues near Fifth Avenue and Safeway and on other streets where drivers speed. Speakers requested a field visit and suggested changes such as different parking configurations or additional stop controls.
Several Sunnyside residents told the City Council on Monday that dangerously fast traffic at locations including Fifth Avenue near Safeway is putting pedestrians at risk and needs near-term action.
Lede: Residents described a January crash on Fifth Avenue and said large trucks parked near businesses reduce pedestrian sight lines. They asked council to inspect the location at peak hours and consider changes such as reconfiguring parking or adding a four-way stop.
Nut graf: Speakers said the site — described as a difficult corner where drivers speed — has produced multiple near-misses and at least one violent crash that flipped a vehicle. Councilors acknowledged the problem and asked staff and public safety to compile crash statistics and return with possible engineering or enforcement remedies.
Public comments Britton Moore of Sunnyside asked council to take a short field trip on Fifth Avenue toward Safeway at various morning and evening times to observe traffic patterns and sightlines. Moore described a January accident in which a vehicle flipped and said large trucks parking along the curb make it difficult for pedestrians to see oncoming traffic.
Resident Mike Kennard, who lives on a steep corridor leaving downtown, described repeated incidents of reckless driving and said he fears someone will be killed. "Someone's gonna get killed. It's just that simple," Kennard said, urging action to slow traffic.
Council response Council members said the problem has been discussed in past years and that the city will follow up. One councilor said the police chief would be asked for crash statistics; another suggested engineering changes such as making the intersection a four-way stop as a low-cost step. Public works and police staff were asked to examine technical and enforcement options and report back.
Ending Councilors asked staff to study the site and bring options for short-term enforcement and longer-term engineering changes to a future meeting.
