To: Leslie Forvis, Mark Leth, Barbara, [email protected], and Mike Swires
Traffic Stop Light Needed
This petition was prepared for the WSDOT to review. The signatures on the petition represent citizens that would like to see a traffic stoplight installed at the intersection of South 263rd Street and Pacific Highway South/State Highway 99.
Why is this important?
We, residential citizens and homeowners residing in the city of Des Moines, WA, call on the Washington State Department of Transportation to install a traffic stop light at the corner of South 263rd Street and Pacific Highway South/State Highway 99.
In 2005, a section of Pacific Highway South in Des Moines, WA was approved for rezoning by the city of Des Moines officials. The zoning conformed a section along Pacific Highway South from commercial to residential. This area today has 68 single family homes, and a small, undeveloped commercially zoned lot. These single-family homes were constructed between 2011-2016. The homeowners of this community only have ONE outlet to enter and exit this community, this being State Highway 99/Pacific Highway South. The 68 homeowners and the patrons and staff of Health Point clinic face daily congestion entering and exiting on South 263rd Street to and from State Highway 99. There is a high volume of traffic daily using South 263rd Street by the 68 homeowners and the patrons and staff of the Health Point Clinic. Parking is permitted on both the north and south side of the street on South 263rd Street, which is another contributing factor to the congestion entering and exiting on South 263rd Street.
The merging conditions are unsafe onto Pacific Highway South/State Highway 99, from South 263rd Street, both merging north and south during rush hour. There are times other than rush hour when Pacific Highway South is busier than normal due to various circumstance pertaining to Interstate 5- accidents, construction, exit closures, etc. More often than not, the drivers on Pacific Highway South are exceeding the speed limit which makes entering traffic difficult. There are no stop lights or crosswalks between 260th-272nd Pacific Highway South, which contributes to the drivers exceeding the posted speed limit.
It is illegal to cross more than one lane of traffic, this illegal lane crossing frequently happens when drivers exiting South 263rd Street need to go in the northbound direction on Highway 99. This is very unsafe. Technically the stop sign in place now on the SW corner of South 263rd Street should indicate that only a right turn is permitted. The U-Turn lane located directly across from South 263rd Street, that everyone exiting from South 263rd Street uses to go northbound on State Highway 99 is unusable from South 263rd Street, as reaching this turnaround/U-turn requires crossing more than one lane of traffic. This is not only illegal but unsafe.
Considering that Pacific Highway South is the only outlet in and out of the Landmarque community of 68 single family homes, and also for the Health Point Clinic patrons and staff, we deem a traffic stop light necessary and should be installed at the intersection of South 263rd Street and State Highway 99/Pacific Highway South. The installation of a traffic stop light will provide SAFE and timely ingress and egress to and from our community to go North and South on Pacific Highway South/State Highway 99. This traffic stop light would also be beneficial for the patrons and staff of the Health Point Clinic located on the SW corner of South 263rd Street and Pacific Highway South. This clinic has at least 75 cars in and out daily entering and exiting on South 263rd Street, Monday-Friday.
There is also a concern that we would NOT be able to expeditiously exit our community in the event of an emergency onto a busy State Highway with a 45 MPH speed limit. For the reasons stated above, we are of the opinion that a traffic stop light installation is necessary and warranted at Pacific Highway South and South 263rd Street.
In 2005, a section of Pacific Highway South in Des Moines, WA was approved for rezoning by the city of Des Moines officials. The zoning conformed a section along Pacific Highway South from commercial to residential. This area today has 68 single family homes, and a small, undeveloped commercially zoned lot. These single-family homes were constructed between 2011-2016. The homeowners of this community only have ONE outlet to enter and exit this community, this being State Highway 99/Pacific Highway South. The 68 homeowners and the patrons and staff of Health Point clinic face daily congestion entering and exiting on South 263rd Street to and from State Highway 99. There is a high volume of traffic daily using South 263rd Street by the 68 homeowners and the patrons and staff of the Health Point Clinic. Parking is permitted on both the north and south side of the street on South 263rd Street, which is another contributing factor to the congestion entering and exiting on South 263rd Street.
The merging conditions are unsafe onto Pacific Highway South/State Highway 99, from South 263rd Street, both merging north and south during rush hour. There are times other than rush hour when Pacific Highway South is busier than normal due to various circumstance pertaining to Interstate 5- accidents, construction, exit closures, etc. More often than not, the drivers on Pacific Highway South are exceeding the speed limit which makes entering traffic difficult. There are no stop lights or crosswalks between 260th-272nd Pacific Highway South, which contributes to the drivers exceeding the posted speed limit.
It is illegal to cross more than one lane of traffic, this illegal lane crossing frequently happens when drivers exiting South 263rd Street need to go in the northbound direction on Highway 99. This is very unsafe. Technically the stop sign in place now on the SW corner of South 263rd Street should indicate that only a right turn is permitted. The U-Turn lane located directly across from South 263rd Street, that everyone exiting from South 263rd Street uses to go northbound on State Highway 99 is unusable from South 263rd Street, as reaching this turnaround/U-turn requires crossing more than one lane of traffic. This is not only illegal but unsafe.
Considering that Pacific Highway South is the only outlet in and out of the Landmarque community of 68 single family homes, and also for the Health Point Clinic patrons and staff, we deem a traffic stop light necessary and should be installed at the intersection of South 263rd Street and State Highway 99/Pacific Highway South. The installation of a traffic stop light will provide SAFE and timely ingress and egress to and from our community to go North and South on Pacific Highway South/State Highway 99. This traffic stop light would also be beneficial for the patrons and staff of the Health Point Clinic located on the SW corner of South 263rd Street and Pacific Highway South. This clinic has at least 75 cars in and out daily entering and exiting on South 263rd Street, Monday-Friday.
There is also a concern that we would NOT be able to expeditiously exit our community in the event of an emergency onto a busy State Highway with a 45 MPH speed limit. For the reasons stated above, we are of the opinion that a traffic stop light installation is necessary and warranted at Pacific Highway South and South 263rd Street.