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Residents urge immediate traffic-calming at Cole and Stevenson after pedestrian fatality
Summary
Multiple residents told council they fear another death at the Cole and Stevenson intersection and asked for immediate measures — lighting, signage, enforcement or low-cost flag systems — rather than a long wait for funding.
During public comment at the June 22 Enumclaw City Council meeting, several residents urged the council and staff to take immediate action to reduce speeding and improve safety at neighborhood intersections, especially at the Cole and Stevenson crossing where a January crash later resulted in a death.
An unnamed resident who identified herself as a regular senior-center attendee told the council she had left a message about the crash after the incident and asked for an update on steps to secure pedestrian funding and safety improvements. “We would still wish to have an update regarding how we're moving forward on the Stevenson Cole area,” the resident said, adding that residents did not want to wait until January for changes after a traffic crash led to the loss of a neighbor.
A Navy veteran who spoke described frequent speeding and distracted driving at that corner and urged enforcement, lighting and signs: “Put in the lights, put in the signs 25 miles an hour, and take people's cars away,” he said, describing the fear that another death could occur.
Nora Tackenboge, who identified herself as a city resident, reiterated the loss of Eileen Griffith and suggested lower-cost measures such as handheld flags used in other municipalities to increase driver awareness at crosswalks. Cindy Proctor, a longtime resident, expanded the scope of safety concerns to other neighborhood corridors, citing excessive speeds, lack of ADA-compliant curb cuts and sight-line problems caused by on-street parking; she offered to provide video evidence she had documented of drivers running stop signs.
Council did not take immediate action during the public comment period; the speakers requested updates and expressed urgency that some measures be advanced before winter or major events. The transcript records residents urging staff for options ranging from enforcement details to low-cost interim solutions while longer-term funding is pursued.
