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| Stay on the paths at the Park at Town Center in Shoreline |
I grew up here. I have lived in Shoreline since 1997. I am 32 years old, a single mother, and a college student. I have watched this city change for decades. So I am asking a direct question: do you care about reporting on the everyday safety issues residents are actually facing?
There is a patch of grass by the Shoreline Police Station, the one decorated with trolley lights during Christmas. It is consistently covered in dog waste.
There is enough dog shit you can make a board game out of it. If you step off that path, there’s a 10 out of 10 chance that you will run into dog shit every 6 inches. This is not just unpleasant. It is a public health issue. Dog feces carry bacteria and parasites that contaminate soil and stormwater runoff. It affects children, other animals, and our shared water system. This is basic civic responsibility and it is being ignored.
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| In 2018 a 20 year old pedestrian was struck and pinned by this vehicle. He survived but with serious injuries. Photo courtesy Shoreline Fire |
Since my car broke down, I have relied on walking and public transportation. Every single time I leave my home or step outside my door, I am almost hit at least once if I do not actively avoid being hit.
I am following the rules as a pedestrian. In just the last few weeks, I have had to actively jump back to avoid being struck. My children have nearly been hit.
This is happening on 175th, 185th, in residential neighborhoods, and in community parking lots.
It happens when crosswalk signals are illuminated. It happens when we are visibly crossing. It happens when drivers simply choose speed over human life.
There has not been a single walk where I have not had to avoid a moving vehicle.
This is not hyperbole. This is daily reality.
If a resident is struck and killed, it will be framed as a tragedy. But what about the pattern leading up to it? What about the dozens of close calls? What about the families who live in a constant state of vigilance because drivers refuse to yield?
I raised concerns about expired tabs years ago. At the time, it was dismissed. Now it is newsworthy. So again, what qualifies as important enough to report? Does someone have to die first?
If you conducted a poll of pedestrians in Shoreline, I suspect many would report similar experiences. The issue is widespread and visible.
Pedestrians have the legal right of way in crosswalks. That is not optional. It is law. More importantly, it is basic human decency.
My life has value. My children’s lives have value. The lives of people walking in the cold, using public transportation, or crossing parking lots have value. Convenience does not outweigh that.
I am asking you to report on pedestrian safety enforcement, traffic patterns on 175th and 185th, crosswalk compliance, and the broader culture of disregard toward people who are not inside a vehicle.
This is not about being politically correct. It is about whether everyday residents matter enough to be heard before a preventable death makes headlines.
Respectfully,
A lifelong Shoreline resident
Lindsay Burke
There has not been a single walk where I have not had to avoid a moving vehicle.
This is not hyperbole. This is daily reality.
If a resident is struck and killed, it will be framed as a tragedy. But what about the pattern leading up to it? What about the dozens of close calls? What about the families who live in a constant state of vigilance because drivers refuse to yield?
I raised concerns about expired tabs years ago. At the time, it was dismissed. Now it is newsworthy. So again, what qualifies as important enough to report? Does someone have to die first?
If you conducted a poll of pedestrians in Shoreline, I suspect many would report similar experiences. The issue is widespread and visible.
Pedestrians have the legal right of way in crosswalks. That is not optional. It is law. More importantly, it is basic human decency.
My life has value. My children’s lives have value. The lives of people walking in the cold, using public transportation, or crossing parking lots have value. Convenience does not outweigh that.
I am asking you to report on pedestrian safety enforcement, traffic patterns on 175th and 185th, crosswalk compliance, and the broader culture of disregard toward people who are not inside a vehicle.
This is not about being politically correct. It is about whether everyday residents matter enough to be heard before a preventable death makes headlines.
Respectfully,
A lifelong Shoreline resident
Lindsay Burke
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