Desiree, the mother of a Hamilton student who was severely injured in 2005 while crossing Stone Way in a marked crosswalk, wrote to invite the neighborhood to participate in a community meeting about the crosswalk:
The crosswalk at Stoneway and 41st is on the agenda at the next Fremont Neighborhood Council meeting this coming Monday (tomorrow). Because it is on the pedestrian bridge route that connects our two neighborhoods, it affects both neighborhoods.
Fremont Neighborhood Council Meeting
Monday, February 24, 2014, 7 – 8:30pm
Doric Temple, 619 N. 36th St.7:25 Stone Way and N. 41st Crossing Update Mike Morris-Lent, Traffic Operations Engineer, SDOT
The Wallingford Council, Fremont Council, and the Hamilton Middle School PTSA have all asked SDOT and Mayor Murray to put a pedestrian activated or regular traffic light at this crosswalk. SDOT studied it back in 2001 and gave it a “N” for “Not Safe” rating without improvements.
It is a school designated crosswalk. It is on the route that connects to the pedestrian bridge over Aurora. No improvements were made and my son was hit and severely injured in the crosswalk in 2005. The road diet in 2007 was not adequate on it’s own to make the crosswalk safe. Seattle police continue to hold sting operations at this crosswalk as recently as six months ago, issuing up to 40 tickets per hour to drivers for “failure to yield to pedestrians”. There have been at least six people hit in this crosswalk in the last 10 years. Four of them suffered head injury ranging from concussive to severe.
I do not want to see anyone else suffer in a pedestrian crash here. Please join us help us get a light at this crosswalk and make it safe for our children and neighbors.
[Ed note: this story was also covered on KIRO recently. Thanks for the link, Heather.)
Thank you Kimberley for posting this story and link to KIRO7 story and interviews with Paul Cantu, myself, and SDOT. Here also are links to stories about the ongoing Seattle Police Department “Sting” operations where up to 40 tickets an hour are issued for “Failure to Yield to a Pedestrian” at the crosswalk at Stoneway and 41st.
MARCH 2011
http://www.komonews.com/communities/fremont/196471511.html
MAY 2011
http://www.komonews.com/communities/fremont/196508781.html
OCTOBER 2011
http://www.fremontuniverse.com/tag/stone-way/
Some people suggest that the crosswalk should be moved or all pedestrians should not cross there but rather should walk the two blocks south to the intersection at 40th and Stoneway. This would work except for the fact that the 41st Street crosswalk is the direct link to the pedestrian bridge over Aurora. It is a school-designated crosswalk. Students from BF Day Elementary and Hamilton come from both sides of the Stoneway corridor. We need a pedestrian activated traffic light to make this crosswalk safe. Six pedestrians hit in 10 years is unthinkable. It continues to be highly dangerous and I do not want to see another neighbor or family go through what we have experienced and witnessed. I am honored to be supported by our neighbors, firefighters at Station #9 and the director of Pediatrics at Harborview. They are the first ones on scene and see the damage. I don’t want them to have to respond to another call at this crosswalk. Thank you all. Desiree
The lack of attention & respect that drivers pay to pedestrians makes me more than a little crazy. It’s going to take more than pedestrian lights to solve that problem, but at least it will make it more difficult for drivers to make the tiresome “I didn’t see her/him/them” claim.
FYI – If you weren’t able to make tonight’s meeting, it looks like you can still pass along your feedback to Mr. Morris-Lent at (206) 684-5727 or [email protected]
In a city full of people who walk around at night dressed in dark clothing often times jaywalking, gee I can’t imagine how drivers don’t see them.
I so agree. It is scary.. they have eyes down, dont look up, eyes on cellphone or texting an djust walk out in front of traffis.
I don’t know if these accidents and failure to yield incidents happen at day or night, but I have noticed that there are several crosswalks on that part of Stone that seem to be particularly dark at night. The streetlights are positioned far from the crosswalks, leaving the crosswalks in a pool of darkness. Some improved lighting would help the situation immensely.
i totally agree, poor lighting then coupled with poor visibility often due to parking makes for a dangerous situation.
Did anyone go to the meeting on Monday? Any report?
I and quite a few neighbors attended. KIRO7, KING5 and KOMO were there. Here are links to some of the news stories. The KIRO7 11 at 11 starts at 4:45 minutes.
KIRO7
http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/mother-continues-fight-light-dangerous-crosswalk/ndX9r/
KING5
http://www.king5.com/news/cities/seattle/Mother-fights-for-safer-Wallingford-ped-crossing-246999481.html?fb_action_ids=756255497718055&fb_action_types=og.recommends&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582
KIRO7 11 at 11 (starts at 4:45 min)
http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid836827761001?bckey=AQ~~,AAAAR_p154k~,Ay3i1IziTkgph-u04lp-DYH1qGBiIwx1&bclid=1174655554001&bctid=3255744697001
SDOT continued to say that they were not considering a pedestrian-activated overhead traffic light. The Fremont Neighborhood Council has asked for written information from SDOT on this decision. Hamilton Middle School PTSA is giving parents information on how to contact the mayor about his critical safety issue for our neighbors and children.
http://www.seattle.gov/mayor/contact-the-mayor
In January, the Mayor’s office wrote and promised a meeting with a group of neighbors, fire department, Harborview and others. They said it was possible that the Mayor’s office would direct SDOT to put a traffic light at this crosswalk.
If you would like to write the Mayor and ask him to meet with us and direct SDOT to put a light there, I think that would make a big difference.
Thank you all,
Desiree
360-220-1422