Residents urge quick pedestrian safety fixes after fatal crash at Cole and Stevenson

Residents told the Enumclaw City Council on June 22 that near‑term steps are needed to prevent another death at the Cole and Stevenson intersection following a January crash that later proved fatal.

At public comment, a resident said she had notified city staff after the January collision and asked for an update on the Stevenson–Cole project and funding for pedestrian safety measures, adding that residents had lost a neighbor. "We would still wish to have an update regarding how we're moving forward on the Stevenson Coal area," the resident said, and asked the council to consider interim pedestrian funding because the project might not take place until January.

A second commenter, a Navy veteran, told the council he has seen drivers speed through the intersection and urged enforcement and infrastructure such as lights and a lower speed limit. "Before we have more deaths ... put in the lights, put in the signs 25 miles an hour," he said, noting a longtime neighbor who died after her wheelchair was struck.

Nora Tackenboge, identified herself as a city resident, reiterated those concerns and urged low‑cost temporary measures such as hand‑held flags to give pedestrians more visibility until permanent changes are implemented. "I just hope that ... Eileen's death wasn't in vain," Tackenboge said.

Longtime resident Cindy Proctor described related neighborhood safety problems on Rilla Lane and Melody Lane, including missing ADA curb ramps, blocked sightlines from on‑street parking, increased shortcut traffic and near misses by drivers she recorded on video. She asked the council to reconsider practical, lower‑cost traffic‑calming options such as reflective markings and to add short‑term drop‑off or ADA changes near Cole Street to reduce pedestrian exposure.

The comments were made during the council's public‑comment period; councilmembers did not take a formal vote on a specific traffic project during the meeting. Several speakers asked for an update from staff and for near‑term mitigations while longer engineering work is scheduled. Council staff had earlier said some project work may not occur until January, which residents cited as a reason to seek interim measures.

The council's public safety committee has been discussing traffic safety and related staffing and enforcement priorities; staff reported to the committee that block cameras would be operational by mid‑July and that the police department planned an education push on new e‑bike rules.