Chelan parent raises crosswalk safety concerns

CHELAN — Holding his young son in his arms, Chelan resident Kyle Byrne told city leaders on March 10 that his family recently narrowly avoided a tragedy at a busy crosswalk near Lakeside Park.

Byrne addressed the Chelan City Council during public comment, describing what he said was a dangerous pattern of drivers failing to yield at the intersection of East Center Street and West Woodin Avenue.

“Last month, my wife was pushing our four-month-old baby in a stroller through the crosswalk at the intersection of East Center Street and West Woodin Ave, right near Lakeside Park and the [Little] Stone Church,” Byrne said. “It was during the day, she was holding a green flag for visibility, and she was clearly in a marked crosswalk. Yet more than seven cars failed to stop her.”

When she did start moving into the street, Byrne said, one driver nearly struck them.

“When she finally started crossing, a distracted driver nearly hit her and our baby,” Byrne said.

The intersection sits near Lakeside Park and the Lakeside Trail, an area that sees heavy pedestrian use. Byrne said his family encounters the crossing frequently while walking to everyday activities.

“Unfortunately, this isn’t an isolated incident,” Byrne said. “Our family uses this crosswalk daily as we work and attend school there. We’ve experienced the same dangerous disregard from drivers time and time again.”

Byrne urged the council to consider steps that could make the crossing safer, suggesting measures such as increased enforcement, improved signage or pedestrian-activated signals.

“As a parent, I’m here tonight because I want Chelan to be a safe place for all our children and every pedestrian,” Byrne said. “No family should have to fear for their lives just crossing the street near a park.”

Later in the meeting, the council approved an amendment to an engineering contract advancing design work for pedestrian safety improvements at the same intersection, a project that Byrne perhaps was unaware of before speaking at the council meeting.

It entails almost exactly the same things he called for during his emotional testimony.

Public Works Director Jake Youngren told councilmembers the project has been in development for several years and involves coordination with the Washington State Department of Transportation, which oversees the nearby highway corridor.

The amendment authorizes additional design work by RH2 Engineering for sidewalk and crosswalk improvements at East Center Street and West Wooden Avenue. The contract amendment is not to exceed $15,145 and will complete the project’s design phase so it can move toward construction.

Youngren said the city hopes to have a bid-ready design by April and begin construction by July.

Councilmembers approved the contract amendment unanimously.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media