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Resident urges Skagit County to address speeding, school-bus safety on Prairie Road
Summary
A resident testified at the commissioners' public comment period about high speeds, repeated damaged signage and close passes of school buses on Prairie Road, asking the county to install signage and seek sheriff enforcement.
A resident told the Skagit County Board of Commissioners during public comment that motorists frequently speed and pass stopped school buses on Prairie Road, creating hazards for children and neighbors.
Patrick Michael Durham, who gave his address on Ida Drive in Centro Valley, said the route includes a 25 mph school zone, a railroad trestle with a 12-foot-6-inch clearance and stretches with 50 mph limits that some drivers exceed. "We have a 35 mile an hour speed limit sign that has been hit by vehicles going way faster than 35," Durham said, and described repeated crashes of the school 25-mph sign with flashing lights.
Durham described a near-miss he observed when a pickup truck towing a cattle trailer crossed a double yellow line to pass a school bus with lights flashing. "When we pull off of Ida Drive and make a right turn, that's not a big issue. Although there is a straightaway prior to Prairie that people ... they are gonna be on your back bumper immediately," he said, asking what the county could do about signage and enforcement.
Commissioners acknowledged the complaint and suggested coordination between Public Works for signage and the sheriff's office for enforcement and emphasis patrols. A staff member noted the county is between public-works directors and that Public Works and the sheriff's office can respond to safety concerns. The resident had previously emailed county staff and said he had discussed the issue with the county's engineering division.
The board did not take formal action at the meeting, but commissioners said they would escalate the concern to Public Works and the sheriff's office for follow-up. No specific timeline, signage plan or enforcement schedule was provided during the public comment period.
Durham said approximately 137 homes are involved in the neighborhood concern and emphasized the safety risk for schoolchildren and other residents. Commissioners asked staff to follow up and indicated they would seek coordination with law enforcement and county road operations.
The county did not provide additional detail or a public-works response on the record at the meeting; residents seeking county action were advised to follow up with Public Works directly.
