UPDATED, 4/28: Council member Steve Fields leads discussion on pedestrian / car collisions

Not the best picture 😁 (l-r) Fields, Myers, Padye, Birney and
Anderson.  -- click to enlarge photo

Council member Steve Fields is concerned about a possible rising incidence of  bike and pedestrian collisions with cars due to city growth.  He had heard anecdotal reports of collisions especially at intersections and asked Police Chief Wilson for a statistical report. At last Tuesday's Council Committee Safety meeting the Chief said the "collisions per 1,000 were exceptionally low."

• 2016 - 36 car / pedestrian collisions and 28 car / bike collisions
• 2017 - 22 car / pedestrian collisions and 14 car / bike collisions 
• End of March, 2018 -  6 car / pedestrian collisions and 4 car / bike collisions. 

These stats don't look "exceptionally low" but that's my opinion. The Chief said collisions increase in winter months owing to darker days, inclement weather. jaywalking and dark clothes.

Council member Hank Myers quipped with perfect timing "wearing black is appropriate when going to a funeral." 

The Chief said many of the collisions occur downtown around 161st near the transit center and bus lines. 

Downtown lighting is poor which makes matters worse, even with the new LEDS.  According to the city, LEDS  improve lighting uniformity and color rendering of streatscapes.  Unfortunately, we just don't have enough of them.  Perhaps at Seritage?

Council member Steve Fields was the Presiding Officer of the safety committee and summarized there wasn't an increase in collisions according to staff but quietly suggested a study session. The Chief added the Downtown Park will bring challenges.  The other 6 council members were quiet.  

Police Bike Teams were another topic.  The teams are riding the streets in tandem as "bike teams." primarily to engage with the public and for maneuverability.  In my opinion, when "bike shares" enter our downtown the Police Teams will be spending a heck-of-a-lot of their time enforcing permits and kibitzing with the Downtown park-goers.

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The topics above topics were reviewed during last Tuesday's Council Committee of the Whole safety committee meeting.  It was the first Council Committee of the Whole safety meeting on record and all council members were present. Mr.Margeson left early.  Steve Fields had brought up the collision topic at an earlier council standing committee in which he was the Chair.  With the change in Committee structure, Mr. Fields is given the title of Presiding  Officer of the Council safety committee.

3rd  in a series on CCOW