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Residents urge action after pedestrian death at Cole and Stevenson; council hears safety pleas
Summary
Residents told the Enumclaw City Council that a recent pedestrian fatality at the Cole and Stevenson intersection demands immediate traffic-calming measures, asking for funding, lights and low-cost visibility options while officials consider longer-term projects.
Residents urged the Enumclaw City Council on June 22 to act quickly after a pedestrian was struck and later died at the Cole and Stevenson intersection.
A city resident who addressed the council during public comment said the victim died after a January crash and asked the council for an update and for pedestrian funding. The resident said, “We would still wish to have an update regarding how we're moving forward on the Stevenson Coal area. If nothing else, please, can we get some pedestrian funding?”
A Navy veteran who spoke later described repeated near-misses at the same corner and called for physical traffic-calming: “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, urging lights, signs, and speed enforcement to reduce hazards.
Nora Tackenboge, a city resident, reiterated the concern and said the city lost Eileen Griffith when a driver failed to stop at the intersection. “We lost Eileen Griffith due to somebody not stopping at that sign,” she said, and recommended lower-cost visibility measures such as hand-held red flags while larger infrastructure solutions wait for funding.
Cindy Proctor, another longtime resident, broadened the concerns beyond that single corner and asked the city to reassess traffic-calming in nearby neighborhoods. She told council members that drivers frequently run stop signs and that some curb ramps are not ADA-compliant; “This is the 3rd time that I've come before council to raise safety concerns along Rilla Lane and Melody Lane,” she said, and asked for practical, lower-cost options including reflective markings and curb improvements.
Mayor and council members did not take formal action during the public-comment period, but the speakers pressed staff and council for earlier interventions than a previously discussed January timeline. Council committee reports later referenced pending traffic-calming discussions and forthcoming staff work on safety measures.
The council did not adopt an immediate project at the meeting; residents said they expect follow-up from staff and committee members at upcoming meetings.
