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Residents urge quick traffic-calming steps after pedestrian death at Cole and Stevenson
Summary
Residents told the Enumclaw City Council June 22 that a January crash at Cole and Stevenson has since resulted in a death and urged immediate pedestrian safety measures — from temporary flags to speed enforcement — while longer-term engineering work waits for funding.
At the June 22 Enumclaw City Council meeting, multiple residents urged the council to take quicker action at the Cole Street–Stevenson intersection after a January crash that later resulted in the death of a local woman, Eileen Griffith.
During public comment, a resident who spoke first said she had left messages with city staff and asked for an update on how the city intends to improve safety at that corner, asking specifically for pedestrian funding and a timeline for work. She said the corner remains “very, very volatile” and that community members were fearful another serious crash could happen.
A longtime resident who described himself as a Navy and Army Reserve veteran told the council he regularly crosses that intersection and urged stepped-up enforcement and engineered safety measures. “Please put in the lights, put in the signs 25 miles an hour, and take people’s cars away,” he said, urging speed enforcement and temporary traffic-calming while permanent fixes are planned.
Nora Tackenboge, a longtime city resident, reiterated that the city had lost Eileen Griffith and urged interim, low-cost measures such as the handheld attention flags used in other towns to increase driver awareness at crosswalks.
Cindy Proctor described related safety problems in nearby neighborhoods — including Trella and Melody lanes — noting frequent drivers running stop signs and a lack of ADA-compliant curb ramps that forces people into the street. Proctor said she has documented violations and asked the council to reconsider lower-cost measures and to plan street improvements that account for continued residential growth.
Council members did not make a policy decision during the public-comment period. The concerns were heard by the council and by committee members who later reported public-safety committee activity; the council did not set a follow-up vote or specific timeline in the meeting record. City staff have previously discussed funding timelines and plan evaluations for traffic-calming projects.
The council may address these requests in committee or at a future meeting; residents asked the city to consider interim steps while larger engineering work is scheduled and funded.
