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Residents urge action on dangerous Cole/Stevenson intersection after pedestrian death
Summary
Multiple residents told council they lost a neighbor, Eileen Griffith, in a January crash at Cole and Stevenson and asked for immediate traffic-calming measures, pedestrian funding, intersection lights, flags, and increased enforcement; council heard detailed neighborhood safety and ADA accessibility concerns.
Four members of the public addressed the council during comments on June 22, urging immediate action after the January death of Eileen Griffith at the Cole and Stevenson intersection and pressing the city to accelerate pedestrian safety measures.
A resident who did not provide a name asked for an update on the Stevenson/Cole area and requested pedestrian funding, saying the city had told residents work might not take place until January and that another person had died. A second resident noted his military service and asked the council to "put in the lights, put in the signs 25 miles an hour, and take people's cars away" to stop speeders and distracted drivers at that corner.
Nora Tackenboge, a city resident, reiterated that Eileen Griffith died after a driver failed to stop and suggested low-cost interim measures such as the removable red flags near stop signs and other visible markers to increase driver awareness. She said she understood the city's current funding constraints but urged action so the death "wasn't in vain."
Cindy Proctor, a longtime city resident, detailed recurring safety problems along Rilla Lane and Melody Lane, including excessive speed, drivers cutting through neighborhoods, lack of ADA-compliant curb ramps at several cul-de-sacs and an active bus stop that increases pedestrian vulnerability. Proctor said she has documented videos of drivers running stop signs and requested the council reconsider lower-cost traffic calming options such as reflective markings and crosswalk signage that instructs turning vehicles to stop for pedestrians.
Councilmembers heard the public comments; no formal action was recorded during the meeting. Several committee and staff reports later addressed public safety topics (including a separate discussion of an e-motorcycle ordinance), but the specific safety requests from residents were not addressed with a vote tonight.
