Residents urge immediate traffic-calming at Cole and Stevenson after pedestrian death

Dozens of minutes of public comment at the June 22 Enumclaw City Council meeting centered on pedestrian safety at the Cole and Stevenson intersection after the recent death of a local resident.

At the podium, a resident who identified herself as living near the intersection asked for an update and urged low-cost, near-term measures "if you don't find the funding" for larger projects, suggesting "pedestrian yellow signs" or hand-held red flags to slow drivers. Another commenter, a veteran who said he had served in the Navy and the Army Reserve, described repeatedly crossing the intersection and told the council, "please put in the lights, put in the signs 25 miles an hour" to prevent further deaths.

Nora Tachenberg, a longtime resident, said she understood the city is short on funds but asked the council to consider interim steps "like those little flags that you see in all the other cities," adding, "I just hope that, you know, Eileen's death wasn't in vain." Cindy Proctor, who identified herself as a longtime resident, gave a longer neighborhood briefing that catalogued safety problems on Chorilla and Melody lanes — speeding, drivers failing to stop, obstructed sight lines from on-street parking and missing ADA-compliant curb cuts — and urged reconsideration of previously denied traffic-calming requests and lower-cost fixes such as reflective pavement markings.

Speakers stressed both the human toll and specific, implementable requests. The comments named a particular intersection and asked staff to return with options for interim signage and enforcement, in addition to longer-term capital solutions. No council action was recorded on those specific requests during the meeting and the public-comment period closed after the final speaker; the council proceeded to committee reports and ordinance readings.

Why it matters: Residents framed the pleas as an immediate public safety concern affecting pedestrians, seniors and families who use neighborhood routes and the Foothills trails. They requested both short-term, low-cost interventions and clearer timelines for capital work. The council’s public safety committee had already discussed related traffic and enforcement items, and staff updates or formal agenda items addressing the speakers' specific requests were not adopted at the June 22 meeting.

Next steps: The meeting record shows the public comment concluded without a council motion addressing the exact fixes cited; the issue may return to staff or a committee for follow-up.