The city recently completed the improvements at 32nd & M because of a history of pedestrian-vehicle accidents at this intersection. The intersection features newly-striped crosswalks and new signs that the city says are of industry standard and are common in other cities in Washington and throughout the country. They are new to Anacortes, however.
City Engineer Eric Shjarback said that so far no collisions have occurred at 32nd & M and that he is confident that drivers will get used to the signs. He said the city will be using similar signs in other locations around town in the future. In a news release, Mayor Dean Maxwell said, "Anytime we introduce something new, there is a learning curve, that's natural." He added, "Drivers will adapt and it is for a good cause, pedestrian safety."
The city has had number of requests to make the intersection a four-way stop permanently, however, the city says the intersection does not warrant a four-way stop. A four-way stop would create congestion on 32"" Street, an important city arterial route and would certainly increase accidents at the intersection.
City Public Works Director Fred Buckenmeyer said, "Four-way stops are only beneficial at locations where the traffic flow is balanced and where delayed traffic is significant for several hours a day not just for 45 minutes a day. A four-way stop is a 24-hour fix for a one-hour problem."