SEATTLE — Residents along Rainier Avenue South in Seattle are raising concerns about the increasing number of speed-related collisions in their neighborhood. The community is actively pushing for safety improvements, citing frequent accidents and dangerous driving behaviors.
Jeff Malek, a local resident, says serious accidents occur approximately every two weeks. To document the issue, neighbors have compiled video evidence of multiple crashes, including vehicles colliding with parked cars and damaging homes.
"People are going 40, 50 miles an hour in a 25 mile an hour zone and that is creating a massive problem for us," Malek stated.
Michael Brown, another resident, said a crash occurred recently near his property.
"Someone hit the guardrail, took the entire guardrail out and then crashed through our fence. If the guardrail wasn't there, they would have been in our backyard," said Brown.
In response to these concerns, the community has taken action by sending a letter to the mayor's office and meeting with city leaders. Their efforts have yielded some results, with the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) adding more signage to the area. However, residents believe more measures are necessary.
Following a meeting with concerned citizens, Seattle police increased enforcement efforts.
"Right away after hearing what has been happening here, they addressed it, they asked for people to work overtime at night, and we had, and on the first night, 25 people were ticketed," Malek said.
SDOT has acknowledged the community's concerns and is planning several safety enhancements for the area. In a statement, the agency said it has been meeting regularly with the Rainier Ave Traffic Safety Alliance to plan improvements.
Scheduled for 2025, SDOT plans to implement various safety measures along Rainier Avenue South between Chinook Beach Park and the city limits. These improvements will include paint-and-post median island enhancements, increased visibility around crosswalks and intersections, and the installation of rapid flashing beacons at several crosswalks.
Additionally, SDOT's Vision Zero team will initiate a planning project to develop further capital improvements addressing crash patterns and speeding in the corridor. The agency emphasized its commitment to engaging with the broader community in co-developing these projects.
As residents await these improvements, they remain hopeful but cautious.
"It seems like things are headed in a better direction, but yeah, pretty concerning. Safety is a big issue here," Brown said.