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Westminster parents press council for traffic calming after child struck on 118th Place
Summary
Residents from Bradburn Village told council that chronic speeding on 118th Place left a four‑year‑old with facial injuries and urged immediate traffic‑calming measures; city staff and police promised follow‑up and enforcement and council agreed to prioritize a corridor study and budget entry.
Residents of Bradburn Village pressed the Westminster City Council on June 22 after a pickup truck struck a 4‑year‑old riding a bicycle on 118th Place, describing a long pattern of speeding and near‑misses that they say traffic studies have failed to address.
"My son George was very fortunate," said Megan Dwire, recounting the June 12 crash. "...This could end so differently in the future." Dwire, who identified herself as a physician assistant with emergency‑medicine experience, told council the street serves a commercial district, multiple housing complexes and a K–12 charter school but has only two stop signs in nearly a mile.
Why it matters: parents and first responders say the corridor is hazardous outside of school peak times when earlier speed studies focused on drop‑off and pick‑up patterns. Speakers urged the council to weigh human safety and local knowledge against algorithmic thresholds used in traffic studies.
City officials responded: City Manager Andrews told the speakers the police chief had already committed to stepped‑up enforcement "starting right away" and that the city engineer would follow up directly with residents after the meeting. Council members asked staff to add the corridor to the city’s budget and program planning so traffic‑calming options could be evaluated and funded.
Council reaction varied but constructive. Several councilors said the city needs to review speed‑study thresholds and enforcement practices and to consider a citywide traffic‑calming prioritization. "We should take a deeper dive into these speed studies," said Councelor Rosati, who cited her EMT experience and urged criteria reform to allow more interventions. Mayor Prom Nurmela and others urged staff to return with options that balance snow‑removal, safety and cost considerations.
What council directed: staff promised an email update to the neighborhood and to place the issue into the coming budget cycle; the city manager said staff would try to provide information to council and residents before the July 6 study session to frame next steps.
Next steps: the council did not vote on a specific traffic measure at the meeting but agreed to elevate the 118th Place corridor for a targeted traffic‑calming evaluation and to explore funding and design options including speed cushions, raised crosswalks or other measures.
Attribution: Quotes and attributions come from public comment and council discussion recorded at the June 22 council meeting; public speakers included residents Megan Dwire, Sapna Rora, Katie Kilcoini and Mary Bole; council and staff comments were made by City Manager Andrews and multiple council members.
