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Dear Fairwood Neighbors,
Last week, our community was struck by tragedy when a reckless driver reportedly blew through an intersection at SE 192nd St and 140th Ave SE at 112 mph, running a red light and striking a vehicle holding a woman and five children. Sadly, the crash killed 4 people—the woman and 3 children—and seriously injured 2 other children. As a husband and father myself, I know that this is any parent or spouse’s worst nightmare. My heart goes out to the victims’ families, who are enduring this immeasurable loss. Yet, amid this horrific tragedy, it is encouraging to see how the Fairwood community has come together to honor and stand with these families in their time of grief. I thank each and every community member, many of whom have reached out to my office, who has taken the time to support the victims’ families during this heartbreak.
Since this accident first occurred, I have been in close communication with both the King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) and the King County Road Services Division. After learning the horrific details, I sent a letter to King County Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall and asked her to pursue vehicular homicide charges, if possible, for the driver. I am glad to see that the Sheriff and Prosecutor have now charged the driver with four counts of vehicular homicide, two counts of vehicular assault, and reckless driving. Given that this is the third time that the driver has totaled a car in the last year, there is a clear pattern of dangerous behavior for which he needs to be held accountable. Since the incident, I also worked with the Sheriff’s Office to provide additional traffic patrols in the Fairwood community to increase law enforcement presence on our streets.
In my years of representing the Fairwood community on the King County Council, funding for road investments has been a key issue. During the regular town halls that I hold in Fairwood, I often hear about the increasing traffic levels as the area continues to grow. No roads in unincorporated King County have received more of my attention and focus than those in Fairwood. In recent years, I've worked with the community on many improvements, including:
- Street lighting on 140th Ave SE, SE 176th St & 171st Way SE, and SE Petrovitsky Rd
- Roundabout at SE 176th St & 171st Way SE
- High friction surface treatment at 140th Ave SE & SE Petrovitsky Rd
- Rotational radar speed signs on 140th Ave SE near SE 200th St
- Permanent radar speed signs on 140th Ave SE near 186th St
- School zone flasher assembly near Carriage Crest Elementary and Ridgewood Elementary
- Barrier curbing on SE Petrovitsky Rd east of 140th Ave SE
- Lane edge rumble strip on 140th Ave SE on northbound approach to SE Petrovitsky Rd
- Gore line extension, left turn lanes on 140th Ave SE near Carriage Crest Elementary
- Merge land and bike lane re-alignment on SE Petrovitsky Rd at the Fairwood Fire Station
- Re-alignment of turn lanes on 140th Ave SE & SE 186th St, SE 181st St
- Sidewalk repairs on the SE corner of 140th Ave SE & SE Petrovitsky Rd
- Marked crosswalk at 140th Ave SE & SE Petrovitsky Rd
- Leading pedestrian interval at SE Petrovitsky Rd & Parkside Way SE, 140th Ave SE & 171st Way SE
- ADA audible pedestrian signal at 140th Ave SE & SE 200th St
- Pedestrian flag holders at 140th Ave SE & SE 200th St
- Flexible guideposts at 140th Ave SE & SE 200th St
- Flashing yellow left turn signals at SE Petrovitsky Rd & 151st Ave SE, SE Petrovitsky Rd & 143rd Ave SE, SE Petrovitsky Rd & Parkside Way SE, and 140th Ave SE & SE 192nd St
- Signal Coordination Plan on SE Petrovitsky Rd, between 132nd Ave SE to 151st Ave SE; 140th Ave SE between SE Petrovitsky Rd and SE Fairwood Blvd
- ITS Camera at 140th Ave SE & SE 192nd St
- Guardrail on SE Petrovitsky Rd, between fire station and Petrovitsky Park
- Lane markings on Petrovitsky Rd and 140th Ave SE
- Seasonal signs, 'watch for ice,' etc., on SE Petrovitsky Rd and 140th Ave SE
- Thermoplastic pavement markings on all roads
In addition, I’ve gone before the Washington State Legislature many times testifying to change the state laws that restrict funding for unincorporated roads. At the Council, I’ve championed legislation that would create a levy to fund unincorporated roads. These actions are necessary to increase our budget for road projects in unincorporated King County.
Yet, we know that none of our roads can be safe if reckless drivers are driving nearly three times the posted speed limit and blatantly ignoring traffic lights. This is why law enforcement is such a critical component of road safety. The dangerous behavior that claimed four lives last week is a downstream effect of years of disinvestments in law enforcement and lenient prosecution that lets too many criminals off the hook. This is why I have repeatedly advocated for emphasis patrols to cut down on dangerous driving, worked to increase staffing at the King County Sheriff’s Office through hiring and retention bonuses and a recruiter, and successfully preserved the Fairwood KCSO substation to keep a law enforcement presence in Fairwood. Unfortunately, we simply have too much dangerous and illegal behavior in our communities and not enough patrols in unincorporated areas. Public safety has long been a cornerstone of my work and will continue to be until unincorporated areas receive more law enforcement services.
I am continuing to coordinate closely with both the King County Sheriff’s Office and the King County Roads Division to find a path forward to keep Fairwood roads safer. I am seeking budget appropriations to reinstate the KCSO Traffic Unit so that we can have dedicated deputies for traffic patrol in Fairwood. In addition, I will soon be introducing legislation asking the Road Services Division to complete a comprehensive traffic study of the intersection at 140th Ave SE and SE 192nd St and the surrounding neighborhood, which will also ask them to consider all improvements suggested by the Fairwood community. All ideas are on the table.
I will rely on your support as these items move through the King County Council and will let you know of opportunities to provide public testimony. I am committed to working alongside the Fairwood community in order to improve the safety of our streets and neighborhoods.
Sincerely,
 Reagan Dunn
King County Councilmember
District 9
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