Kaitlin

Every once and awhile when I can get more information about the memorials I photograph there is a tiny bit of good news. It happened with Chantelle, where the city of Bend apparently relented and built a roundabout at the location she was killed, and it appears that it happened with Kaitlin as well.

Kaitlin Miller was killed at the intersection of NE 199th and NE 29th Avenue in Clark County, Washington. At the time the intersection was a two-way stop, and her friend who was driving didn’t see the stop sign and they were t-boned.

Kaitlin was killed. She was seventeen.

Kaitlin’s family pushed the county to make the intersection a four-way stop. The county pushed back, at least at the time, saying there wasn’t enough traffic to justify the change. I can’t imagine being Pete Campbell, the then Director of Public Works, trying to justify not spending whatever it costs to put up two stop signs, because it’s not difficult to imagine that even if Kaitlin’s friend missed the stop sign … had the other drive had one, and stopped, Kaitlin would likely still be alive today. Now, to Mr. Campbell’s credit, he must have relented because the intersection is currently a four-way stop, but the initial argument seems asinine.

Of course, that doesn’t help Kaitlin or her family.

Rest in peace, Kaitlin.