Neighbors will protest outsized Rainier Ave danger Wednesday

Every day that passes without action, there’s another collision on Rainier Ave. Often, people are lucky enough to walk away with an auto body bill. But sometimes, people’s lives are changed forever by a serious injury. And once every year, someone is killed.

But it doesn’t need to be this way. Neighbors have had enough, pressuring the city to take real action to make Rainier safer and taking to the streets to protest the dangerous conditions on the neighborhood’s primary commercial drag.

You can join business leaders, traffic collision victims and Councilmember Bruce Harrell for the latest protest effort 5:30–7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Rainier and S Edmunds Street. Details from Rainier Valley Greenways are posted below.

The last major Columbia City protest about the city’s lack of action in September helped push the city to create and expedite a road safety project, which will begin rolling out safety improvements soon. But it’s going to take a lot more community pressure to get the truly safe and complete street Rainier Valley needs.

Pedestrians & drivers have to work together #safety first #CrossWalkIN #SDOT #Seattle @seattledot @Mayor_Ed_Murray pic.twitter.com/ZSQ5ujPWY7

— Emiliana Chávez (@emiliana) September 5, 2014

More details from Rainier Valley Greenways:

This Wednesday community members are calling on the city to act NOW to fix the most dangerous street in Seattle. Rainier Avenue South averages over a crash a day, with 1,243 crashes in the past three years. Community members are standing up for a Rainier Ave S that is safe for all people to walk, bike, drive, catch the bus, shop, and live.

Safety Over Speeding Day of Action Wednesday, May 20th 5:30-7:30 pm, at the corner of Rainier Ave S and S Edmunds St in Columbia City.

• 6:00-6:15 pm – Words from business owners, victims, and Councilmember Bruce Harrell. Hear from Susan Davis of the Rainier Chamber, Councilmember Bruce Harrell, small business owners, and traffic collision victims.
• 5:30-6:30 pm – Crosswalk Protest: Neighborhood activists will walk across Rainier Ave S holding signs promoting safety and asking for action (5:30-6:30 pm).
• 5:30-7:30 pm – Get Well Soon Rainier Ave: Members of the public will be invited to sign a “Get Well Soon”  card for business owners and other people who have been affected by traffic collisions all along Rainier Ave S.
• 6:30-7:30 pm Safety Awareness Posters: Neighborhood activists will hang up posters that highlight the human toll Rainier Ave’s current dangerous design is taking on our community

For more information about Rainier Valley Greenways visit http://seattlegreenways.org/neighborhoods/rainier-valley/

To learn more about the Seattle Department of Transportation’s safety corridor project visit http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/rainieraves.htm