SEQUIM — Andy Nilles, backed by 22 other Vintage at Sequim apartment residents, swayed city leaders Monday night to move forward with safety improvements to the Brackett Road-Priest Road intersection to make it safer to cross to the Walmart shopping center.
Nilles, 90, who led a petition drive that generated 101 signatures — mostly from elderly residents of the 118-unit apartment complex at 1009 Brackett Road — called on the City Council to take steps to help make the intersection and Brackett Road leading to it safer for seniors and the disabled pedestrians traversing to Walmart to shop and fill prescriptions.
Nilles voiced support for a four-way stop sign intersection.
“If they do a stop, at least we won’t get hit quite as hard,” Nilles wryly quipped.
Following a presentation at Monday night’s council meeting by city Public Works Director Paul Haines, who recommended further study, City Manager Steve Burkett said a city traffic count and observation of motorist-pedestrian habits at the intersection are in order.
“Brackett is acting as a cut through [to Walmart] and is not behaving as a local street,” Haines told the council.
He said closing the east end of Brackett could reduce that traffic problem.
Nilles and other residents originally supported a crosswalk, but Haines was opposed to that, saying it would not protect pedestrians crossing Priest, which sometimes has speeding motorists barreling northbound on it.
Haines contended that a crosswalk will not guarantee safety for a crossing senior, which statistically is the age group most at risk.
Haines, who met with about 70 Vintage apartment dwellers at the complex last Wednesday, said signs could be posted early on Priest to warn motorists of crossing pedestrians.
The weather would have to warm up before any crosswalk could be painted on the road, should that option get council approval, Haines said.
Burkett said the city staff would keep Vintage residents informed it returns to the council with final recommendations.
Nilles and others want prompt action. After talking to the council, he said he will picket the intersection if nothing is done.
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Sequim-Dungeness Valley Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-681-2391 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.