Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Pedestrian Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents urge traffic calming at Cole and Stevenson after a recent pedestrian death
Summary
Multiple residents told the Enumclaw City Council on June 22 that a recent fatality at the Cole and Stevenson intersection underscores the need for traffic calming, enforcement and low-cost safety measures while asking when more substantial improvements can be funded.
Residents pressed the Enumclaw City Council on June 22 to accelerate pedestrian-safety work at the intersection of Cole and Stevenson after a recent fatal crash.
The comments, made during the public-comment portion of the council meeting, centered on a recent death and repeated near-miss incidents. A resident who spoke at the podium said she returned to the council after notifying staff and urged officials to “please help” and asked for an update on when pedestrian improvements would occur.
A 76-year-old veteran who identified himself during public comment described the behavior he sees at the corner and urged enforcement and data-driven speed checks: “I am now 76 years old. I’d like to live to a 100, and I cross that street, and people just zoom by,” he said, asking the city to consider sitting in an unmarked car with a speed gun to document dangerous drivers.
Nora Tackenboge, a longtime city resident, told the council the victim, Eileen Griffith, “died due to somebody not stopping at that sign,” and urged the council to try low-cost measures such as handheld flags and other visible cues while funding constraints delay larger engineering projects.
Cindy Proctor, another resident, detailed recurring speeding and visibility problems on Trella and Melody lanes and pointed to missing or outdated ADA curb ramps, a busy bus stop and driveway maneuvers that force people into the street. She said she has documented violations and offered to provide video evidence to staff.
Council members heard the concerns but did not take immediate action at the meeting; staff and committee reports later in the agenda noted that traffic-calming options and enforcement are topics the public-safety committee and staff are monitoring. No formal direction, funding decision or vote on specific improvements was made at the June 22 meeting.
The council meeting record shows residents pressing for both near-term, low-cost safety measures and longer-term engineering fixes; the matter will likely require follow-up from city staff to provide timelines, costs and possible grant or pedestrian-funding options.
