PRESTON — In the next several months, King County Department
of Transportation workers will install several traffic safety measures
in Preston.
Money from the department’s operations and maintenance budget
and $100,000 from the county’s Neighborhood Enhancement Program are
earmarked for the improvements, which are scheduled to be completed by
the end of the year said Paulette Norman, a county traffic engineer.
Most of the changes are small-scale, low-capital projects which
concentrate on increasing pedestrian safety through additional signs
and lighting.
“They’re certainly an enhancement that alerts the drivers,”
Norman said. “But it’s always important for
the pedestrians, that no matter what type of devices are out there, to look
before crossing the street.”
And even though these improvements aren’t high-ticket items
Doug McClelland, president of the Preston Community Club, said they are
much-needed improvements for the area.
The county and community have been working together for
several months to create a plan that would alleviate the traffic woes despite
the county’s tight budget constraints.
McClelland said the latest proposals, which were presented to the
community on Wednesday, Feb. 16, would provide a good fix at least for the
next several years.
“What we said at the first meeting is demonstrated in these photo
panels,” McClelland said, pointing to the county’s plans. “It focuses on what
are the low-cost fixes today that will give us the most.”
Some of those improvements include:
• Preston-Fall City Road: install “Compression Brake
Prohibited” signs and conduct a count to
determine percentage of vehicle class mix.
• Preston-Fall City Road near Southeast 84th Street: restrict
parking on both sides of the road and install a fluorescent pedestrian warning sign.
• Interstate 90 eastbound off ramp: Washington State Department
of Transportation will install stop signs.
• Preston-Fall City Road and Southeast 87th Place: increase
intersection lighting, conduct warrant analysis for a left-turn lane and
traffic signal.
• 308th Avenue Southeast near 86th Street: relocate school bus
stop near the trailhead and conduct a speed survey.
• Preston-Fall City Road at Southeast 86th and 68th streets: install
fluorescent signs, increase lighting and perform speed count.
The residents also had an opportunity to rank which projects
they would want to fund with the $100,000 Neighborhood Enhancement
Program money. Many of the meeting attendees chose to install a walkway near
the Preston General Store — a growing hazard that residents say needs to
be fixed. Of the five options available, Norman said the money could
probably only fund two projects.
She said there were other county funds available for similar
traffic projects; however, Preston would be competing with other
neighborhoods for the money.
