A non-functioning crosswalk warning sign along 44th Avenue West in Mountlake Terrace will soon be getting an upgrade that city officials hope will provide safer conditions for pedestrians and drivers alike.
The city has ordered parts to install a Rectangular Rapid Flash Beacon (RRFB) at the intersection of 44th Avenue West and 220th Street Southwest in the East Terrace neighborhood of Mountlake Terrace. Once installed, the resulting upgrade will include solar-powered lights that flash just below the crosswalk signs which face each direction of 44th Avenue West and that will be activated by a pedestrian push-button.
The existing crosswalk signs have lights that were designed to flash around their perimeter when activated, but those lights don’t work now and, city officials note, malfunctioned often went they were operational. Furthermore, the parts to repair them no longer exist.
While new RRFB parts have been ordered, it is unknown just when they will arrive and be installed at the site.
Pedestrians wishing to cross 44th Avenue West at 220th Street Southwest must traverse four lanes of traffic on the second-most traveled arterial in the city. In addition, the intersection is in close proximity to Mountlake Terrace High School and Cedar Way Elementary School and is heavily used by students who walk to and from the two schools.
–By Doug Petrowski
I am very glad to see this article. I have been meaning to write the city about this intersection for months now.
This is a very busy intersection for pedestrians. Why 214th got a stop light and this intersection didn’t ‘t is beyond me. I take the bus quite often and I live on 220th. I no longer even try to cross there in the evening especially in the winter when it is dark (lights functioning or not.) Cars pay little attention to the lights – mostly because they usually continue to blink long after the person has crossed. I get off either at 223rd or Hawks Way so that I can use the stop lights to cross.
Just the other morning I saw a young woman trying to cross 220th to catch the bus and it took her almost 4 minutes to get across. The speed limit means nothing on that stretch of 44th.
While I am glad to see something is being done – I will continue to get off at the bus stop before or after my stop to safely cross the street in the evenings.