Residents urge crosswalk and traffic calming near Scenic Heights Trail

Two residents told the advisory commission they are concerned about vehicle speeds and pedestrian safety where Scenic Heights Road connects to Southwest Nineteenth Court and the Scenic Heights and Friend Marsh trail access.

Denise Marion described frequent crossings at that location by children, dog walkers, bicyclists and elderly pedestrians and called the area congested by a bus stop, cluster mailboxes and delivery vehicles. She said the crossing is used by people traveling from Fort Nugent Park and urged the commission to consider slowing traffic and adding a crosswalk: “It's a universal wish that we could slow the traffic and put in a crosswalk there, which would really complete that trail all the way from Fort Nugent Park to Windjammer and Points Beyond.”

Kim Ford, another resident, said she regularly drives in the neighborhood and described the turn from Froond onto Scenic Heights as “frequently, a scary turn” because motorists often accelerate; she said children frequently cross the road there to access Windjammer Park.

Commissioners and staff said the request will be shared with the city’s public-works and active-transportation planning staff; development services staff are preparing an active-transportation plan that may identify the location and potential remedies such as speed reduction measures and a marked crossing.