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Resident urges state action as crashes pile up at 507 and Center intersection
Summary
A Rainier resident told the council the intersection at 507 and Center sees "at least 2 to 3 a month" crashes and asked whether residents should petition the state for a signal; councilors said a roundabout is in long-term plans but state approval and funding are required.
Janet Ashenbrenner told the council she has seen frequent crashes at the intersection of 507 and Center and said residents are worried for safety. "There's at least 2 to 3 a month that happened up there," she said, adding that on one recent day there were two crashes.
The presiding officer replied that a roundabout is in the city's long-term plans but that the road is a state route, so the state must approve changes and funding remains the main barrier. The officer estimated a traffic signal could cost about $800,000 and described the roundabout as a higher-cost, longer-term option. Council and staff also noted a roundabout wide enough for trucks could encroach on adjacent private property, including a Chevron station, and that Rainier is lower on the city's priority list for such projects. Kimmy, the clerk, and staff confirmed the state patrol responded to recent crashes because the route is a state highway.
