[4] October 9, 2015 www.bellevuereporter.com Contact and submissions: editor@bellevuereporter.com 425.453.4233
Intersections need to be safer
W
hile the tragic accident at 140th Avenue Northeast and Bel-Red Road continues to be investigated, two letter writers on this page have raised issues that we suspect are on many people’s minds. n Do left-turn flashing yellow arrows make intersections safer? and n Are Bellevue pedestrians at risk because sidewalks have little room if people need to escape an oncoming car? In the Sept. 29 accident, a 28-month-old toddler was killed when one car struck another, shoving it onto a sidewalk and into the child’s stroller. The city say the flashing yellow arrows are safer than what was there before: a green light that governed all motorists and simply says “go.” We agree. The problem is that far too many drivers will do almost anything to not get stopped at a traffic light. Often that means speeding up to clear the intersection when it is obvious that they easily could stop. Equally bad, drivers who force themselves through a turn as the light turns yellow can face that oncoming driver who has sped up. Bellevue says it plans to re-educate the public about how to use flashing yellow arrows. That’s good. But it won’t necessarily stop drivers who stomp on the accelerator when they see a yellow light. Perhaps a few traffic officers at busy — and dangerous — intersections could stop overly eager drivers and write a ticket, if warranted. However, even if drivers are in the right, it doesn’t mean they’re driving safely. There should be nothing wrong with an office pulling someone over and explaining to them — one on one — the danger of their actions to themselves and others. If they listen — and get the message — we’ll have a safer city. That should benefit both our streets and sidewalks. — Craig Groshart, Interim Editor
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To the editor Flashing yellow should be removed
The flashing yellow traffic signals should be eliminated from the city’s traffic control system. These signals tend to encourage the kind of driving behavior that resulted in the recent death of the child at 140th Avenue Northeast and Bel-Red Road. I live near this intersection and enter it several times each day; it is a dangerous intersection and, at one time, had the highest intersection accident rate in the city. I believe the flashing yellow signals are totally unnecessary. Though they may increase, slightly, the turning through-put of vehicles at the signaled intersections where they operate, this slight increase can only be achieved with an accompanying increase in the risk of accidents at those intersections. Moreover, many drivers in the city exhibit very aggressive driving behavior (though some may not be residents of the city). Such behavior in conjunction with the flashing yellow signals can result in serious accidents. I urge you to direct the removal of these signals from the city’s traffic control system.
David F. Plummer, Bellevue
Pedestrians need better streets
Like many other communities, some streets in Bellevue were built in an era of cars. At that time, driving seemed the only viable way to get around in a suburban area. Along these streets, sidewalks are narrow and cars travel fast. There is no buffer between pedestrians and cars. Such a street is 140th Avenue Northeast near Bel-Red Road. It is not pedestrian friendly. Over time, more and more people start walking along 140th Avenue Northeast because of community destinations close by. Parents walk their children to Stevenson Elementary School a few blocks away. Young couples walk back to their apartments with Safeway grocery bags in hand. Employees hurry to their bus stops in the morning. Mothers push their babies in strollers to go to the park when the sun is out. It is a popular route. Unfortunately, the street geometric layout does not match its popularity, which puts pedestrians, always the vulnerable party in accidents, in a precarious position.
During the occurrence of an accident, there is no landscape buffer to hinder a car from wrongly going onto the sidewalk. Neither does the five-foot wide sidewalk leave any no space for pedestrians to maneuver. Our streets put pedestrians at the mercy of drivers, some of whom do drive recklessly. Safety is a fundamental right of all users of our streets. We need to make our streets much more forgiving for pedestrians. Pedestrians deserve safer streets.
Lei Wu, Bellevue
Armed security needed
First off the shootings in Oregon are a despicable act by a despicable individual. The shooter’s father absolves himself of any culpability in his son’s act by calling for gun control. A popular bromide echoed by the president and the mainstream media. However, the issue here is more protection not less — armed security for schools and large public areas. Scary thought possibly, but it sure beats the alternative. It is a fact that these shooters avoid areas where they might immediately get shot. Also, there is no country in the world today where a determined person cannot obtain a firearm, be it Australia, Russia or China. The mental health issue is even more problematical. If there were some Orwellian test to ferret out these homicidal loners, that would be the desirable outcome. Frankly, I have no idea how that might occur.
Denny Andrews, Bellevue
Fashion event highlights Bellevue
It’s pleasant to see that the city of Bellevue, Kemper Development Company, Vogue magazine, Fashion Group International and fashion industry enthusiasts shine a much deserved light on the abundance of creative talent residing in the Northwest. Also wonderful to see the fashion industry doesn’t limit itself to supporting the cherished Los Angeles and New York markets and decides to pique its interest in this diverse region. It will be interesting to see the evolution of Northwest fashion. It never hurts to ask Vogue or another beloved fashion magazine to set up a regional office right here in Bellevue.
Erica Hale, Bellevue