Ames to review pedestrian-crossing improvements at Lincoln Way and South Russell after fatal crash

A staff report on options to improve a pedestrian crossing at Lincoln Way and South Russell is on the Ames City Council agenda after a tragic loss of life at that location earlier this year, Mayor John Haila said on the City of Ames podcast previewing the June 23 meeting.

Haila said concerned citizens petitioned council to consider improvements and that council referred the request to staff, which has since developed options for the intersection. He described the upcoming staff report as an important response to the tragedy and said the city takes such safety issues seriously.

Why it matters: the report aims to identify feasible changes — such as crosswalk redesign, signal timing, or other engineering and enforcement measures — to reduce pedestrian risk at a location where someone was killed earlier this year.

What’s next: council will receive the staff report and consider staff recommendations; the podcast did not list specific engineering options, estimated costs, or a decision timeline.

(Reporter: Bill Gebhardt; source: John Haila, Mayor.)