Residents press Enumclaw council for traffic-calming after pedestrian death

Residents urged the Enumclaw City Council on June 22 to accelerate pedestrian safety work at the intersection of Cole Street and Stevenson Avenue after a January crash that later proved fatal.

At the podium, a resident who had previously reported the collision said the person injured in January later died and asked the city for an update and immediate pedestrian funding. The speaker said staff had suggested work might not occur before January and added, “We would still wish to have ... an update regarding how we're moving forward on the Stevenson Coal area.”

John, a longtime veteran speaking after that comment, described repeated close calls and speeding at the same corner and urged the council to “put in the lights, put in the signs 25 miles an hour” and increase enforcement to prevent further deaths.

Nora Tackenboge, introduced herself as a city resident and told the council she hoped the death of Eileen Griffith "wasn't in vain," suggesting low‑cost tools such as handheld red safety flags to increase driver awareness until engineering solutions can be implemented.

Cindy Proctor, a longtime resident, outlined broader neighborhood safety problems on Trella (Melody) Lane and nearby streets: excessive speeds, drivers cutting through the neighborhood, missing ADA curb ramps that force people into the street, and a busy bus stop and trailhead that increase pedestrian exposure. She said she has video documentation of drivers running stop signs and asked the council to reconsider lower‑cost calming measures such as reflective markings and clearer crosswalk signage.

Council members did not take immediate legislative action during the public‑comment period; the remarks were recorded as part of public comment. No formal motion or vote to direct staff toward a specific project was reported in the meeting record.