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Residents urge rapid-flashing beacons, council hears $84,000 preliminary plan for Stevenson/Cole intersection
Summary
Public commenters described repeated collisions and serious injuries at the Stevenson/Cole intersection and asked the council to install rectangular solar rapid-flashing beacons and push-button crosswalks; Public Works reported interim measures including a 25-mph speed zone, one no-parking stall and preliminary engineering for two pedestrian bulb-outs with an estimate of about $84,000 (beacons not included).
During public comment at the March 9 Enumclaw City Council meeting multiple residents urged immediate safety improvements at the Stevenson and Cole intersection, citing collisions that left people severely injured.
A resident who identified herself as a senior and a long-time Enumclaw resident told the council she often watches people cross near the senior center and said she has seen people hit by cars there in recent months. She asked the council to install four rectangular solar rapid-flashing beacons and push-button crosswalks "to indicate, hey, I'm here. I wanna cross the street," and requested a timeline for approval and installation.
"We are older. We need help. We need those flashing lights and the push buttons to indicate, hey, I'm here," the resident said during public comment.
John Dahlquist, another resident, said he had discussed the location with Mayor Wright and asked the council to post speed-limit signs and use speed enforcement. He provided a color map of the area to staff.
Public Works (reported during committee reports) told council it will install a 25-mph speed zone on Cole Street near AutoZone as an interim measure, mark one no-parking stall in front of a nearby shop to improve sight lines, and has prepared a preliminary site drawing that would create two pedestrian bulb-outs on the south side of the intersection. Staff said the preliminary engineer's estimate for the bulb-outs is about $84,000; that estimate does not include the cost of rapid-flashing beacons on all four corners.
Council members and staff said the public comments informed ongoing planning and that the Safe Streets local road-safety plan (adopted the same night) identifies the Stevenson intersection as a priority for improvements; the plan will help the city seek grants and loans to pay for identified projects. Public Works said further budget and design details will be provided as the project advances.
