EVERETT — Two pedestrians died this month within blocks of each other on Evergreen Way, long one of the deadliest roads for walkers and bikers in Snohomish County.
Both were identified Wednesday.
On March 7, Richard Nelson was crossing the thoroughfare near 100th Street SW around 6:10 a.m., according to police. Unable to avoid Nelson, a driver hit him.
First responders tried to revive Nelson, but he died. He was 88.
Three days later, Sean Stratton was arguing with a woman on the sidewalk around 5 a.m. when she crossed Evergreen, Everett police officer Kerby Duncan said. She made it across the lanes of traffic safely. He followed.
Stratton, 40, didn’t appear to see an oncoming car, however. He was reportedly struck by a driver heading north between Center Road and 112th Street SW.
In both incidents, the drivers remained on scene and did not appear to be impaired. Both men died of blunt force injuries, the Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office determined.
While the investigations remain active, no criminal cases were expected in connection with either fatal crash, Duncan said.
With its many lanes of traffic and high speeds, Evergreen Way can be treacherous for pedestrians. Between 2012 and 2021, over a dozen pedestrians in Snohomish County were killed on Evergreen and Highway 99, the name the road is known by in Edmonds and Lynnwood, state data show. Dozens more were seriously hurt.
“We encourage everyone to be cautious,” Duncan said, “especially on busy roadways.”
Deputy prosecutor Tobin Darrow has been the only attorney in Snohomish County prosecuting cases involving drivers hitting pedestrians in serious crashes. In January, he told The Daily Herald many of the crashes take place on Evergreen Way.
“Attempting to cross Evergreen, you have, typically, seven lanes you have to cross,” Darrow said. “You’ve got three in each direction plus the center turn lane. So, that’s a long way to go. And I have pedestrians that make it halfway or three-quarters and then get hit in that last lane they’re trying to get through.”
Officials have worked to improve the conditions there.
In 2011, Everett was awarded nearly $400,000 for pedestrian safety improvements on Evergreen from Airport Road to 112th Street, according to documents obtained by The Daily Herald. That since-completed work included installing missing sidewalks, curb ramps and safety patrols.
Everett Public Works leaders have said their top priority is improving conditions on the city’s roads for its most vulnerable users: pedestrians and bicyclists.
Jake Goldstein-Street: 425-339-3439; jake.goldstein-street@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @GoldsteinStreet.
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