We, the undersigned residents and community members, urge the City of Kirkland to implement immediate traffic safety improvements at the intersection of 19th Ave and 4th St, including the installation of 4-way stop signs and enhanced 20 mph school zone signage to ensure safe crossing for students and neighbors.

This intersection sees heavy use by parents dropping off students at Kirkland Middle School, which has experienced a significant increase in both enrollment and traffic over the past year. The absence of stop signs on 19th Ave encourages speeding through this designated school zone, while drivers on 4th St often fail to come to a complete stop. These unsafe driving behaviors have created hazardous crossing conditions for students and neighbors. The lack of crosswalks and disconnected sidewalks—where the sidewalk on the northwest side continues only on the southeast side— led to students crossing diagonally during peak drop-off times, further increasing the risk of accidents. Notably, there has already been at least one collision this school year (2024–25) between a school bus and a parent’s vehicle on 19th Ave.

To improve safety, we are requesting the following:

• Install two additional stop signs at the intersection of 19th Ave and 4th St to create a full 4-way stop.
• Improve visibility of the existing 20 mph school zone signs on 19th Ave in both directions past 4th St.
• Add two new 20 mph school zone signs:
  • Eastbound on 19th Ave between 3rd St and 4th St
  • Westbound on 19th Ave between the school parking lot and 4th St

We respectfully ask the Kirkland City Council to take action without delay. These straightforward improvements can significantly reduce risk and help ensure a safer environment for our students and neighbors.