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Residents urge traffic calming after pedestrian death at Cole and Stevenson
Summary
Multiple residents told the Enumclaw City Council they fear for pedestrian safety after a January fatality at Cole and Stevenson and urged immediate traffic‑calming measures and enforcement while the city considers longer‑term engineering changes.
Residents pressed the Enumclaw City Council on June 22 to speed up safety work at the Cole and Stevenson intersection after a pedestrian who had been struck in January died.
At the start of the public‑comment period a resident said the person who was hit “passed away” and requested an update on what the city is doing and whether pedestrian funding is available. The resident asked the council for an explanation of how the city will “move forward on the Stevenson Coal area” and for steps to prevent further fatalities.
A 76‑year‑old resident who described himself as a veteran told the council he wants enforcement and traffic‑calming measures, including speed enforcement and lights, saying drivers “zoom by” and do not pay attention. “Before we have more deaths, we don’t need that,” he said.
Nora Tackenboge, who identified herself as a longtime city resident, reiterated that Eileen Griffith died after a vehicle failed to stop; she said the cost of permanent fixes is high and suggested lower‑cost interim measures such as handheld red flags to encourage drivers to make eye contact at the stop sign.
Cindy Proctor, another longtime resident, outlined broader neighborhood safety concerns on Trella and Melody Lanes: missing ADA curb ramps that force people into the roadway, frequent shortcutting by non‑residents, and repeated failures to stop at signs. She said she has videos documenting drivers running stop signs and urged the council to reconsider previously denied traffic‑calming measures and to plan for development‑driven street improvements.
There was no immediate council vote or staff decision recorded in the meeting on new pedestrian capital funding or short‑term mitigation; the public‑safety committee report earlier in the meeting noted staffing and enforcement work but did not commit new capital dollars. Council members and staff did not announce a timeline for engineering changes at the Cole and Stevenson intersection during the meeting.
The meeting transcript shows multiple residents requested immediate, low‑cost interventions as well as longer‑term design and enforcement solutions; council members will consider those requests in future committee and budget discussions.
