Crosswalk violations call for strategic plan
Jen Gaffney of Baltimore raises what has become a perennial issue in Baltimore -- one that the city needs to address with a comprehensive strategy rather than a Band-Aid. It's the penchant of local drivers to tune out the existence of pedestrian crosswalks. For a past column, I observed the behavior of Baltimore drivers around a well-marked pedestrian crosswalk. What I found is that any pedestrian who relies on a crosswalk to assure the right-of-way better have paid-up life insurance.
Here's Gaffney's account:
I work in Harbor East, and along with many other people, I park in the Little
Italy parking garage on Exeter Street. Each morning and evening, we have to
cross Eastern Ave at Exeter, where there are lines in the intersection which
indicate a pedestrian crosswalk. There is no stop light at this intersection,
which means no pedestrian lights. However, motorists do not stop for pedestrians here, and actually it seems like they speed up when they see someone trying to
cross the street.
Since it's a busy street, pedestrians wait a very long time
for traffic to clear in both lanes. When people get impatient, it becomes a
dangerous situation as they dart out in between cars.Do you know how to request the city install a "Stop for Pedestrians" sign like
I've seen in other neighborhoods? (Looks like this:
http://www.seton.com/in-street-pedestrian-crosswalk-signs-l2216.html) I feel
like this would make the Exeter at Eastern intersection much safer.
I'll pass along this request to the city and I hope transportation officials will put a sign in place. But even if they do so, I doubt that alone will make crossing safe. What this city requires is a coordinated strategy of using signage, advertising, law enforcement and political leadership to send a message to drivers to watch out for pedestrians -- or else. At the same time, city officials ought to show they're ready to crack down on wayward pedestrians.
First, that would involve a signage strategy. The city should start with the premise that what it's doing now is insufficient to grab drivers' attention. After all, it's tough to talk on a cell phone and look out for pedestrians entering crosswalks. Flashing yellow lights might help, along with pedestrian-activated crosswalks.
That's expensive though. And by itself, it's likely to be ineffective. Baltimore drivers are just too used to plowing through crosswalks without slowing down.
What's also needed is a highly visible, well-publicized enforcement campaign. The police ought to set up sting operations at strategic crosswalks such as the one in Harbor East and relentlessly ticket drivers who fail to stop. Special attention should be given to those who plow through crosswalks while talking on cell phones.
Cadets could be tasked with playing pedestrian -- as they could be trained to assert their rights while obeying the law. They could also accompany officers to court. After all, learning to testify is part of the job.
The city shouldn't just pick on errant drivers. The officers should be just as aggressive in issuing jaywalking tickets to pedestrians who fail to observe the law.
When the sting occurs, local news media ought to be invited to cover the event. Believe me, they'll show up for that. It's great street theater. Repeat a few times at different locations, back up the message with a public service ad campaign, and the message will filter out.
Don't count on police to make this a priority on their own, however. It would likely require a push from the mayor herself. And to get the mayor's attention, it sometimes requires the City Council to weigh in.
So what does the city have to say to this? Getting There invites a response.
Comments
Completely agree. (Though I quibble a bit with being "just as aggressive" with jaywalkers - they aren't 2000 pounds of moving steel and their safety should be paramount - the burden is on drivers first and foremost.) Baltimore pedestrians act like a traumatized bunch, often yielding at intersections for turning cars when they (the walkers) have the clear right of way. One of the great reasons for living in the city and one of its great pleasures is being able to walk and explore. It ought to be be safe for everyone.
Posted by: Paul Smith | January 13, 2011 11:45 AM
I'm glad you were even handed in calling for better enforcement of pedestrians jaywalking. Because as bad as the drivers can be the pedestrians can be just as bad. As an example drive up Eutaw during the day..going by where people cross the street you'd assume the entire street is a cross walk.
Posted by: Paul | January 13, 2011 12:03 PM
While I think this is a great idea, getting the city to enforce pedestrian crosswalk laws will be as likely getting the city to enforce the bus lanes.
Posted by: CB | January 13, 2011 12:09 PM
Drivers in Baltimore don't stop for people at cross walks or people that are in areas where cross walks do not exist yet they legally have the right away to cross at anyway. I was shocked when I moved here from Oregon in 2002. In Oregon they would give you a $200 ticket if you did not give the pedestrian the right away. That made everyone stop for pedestrians.
In this city if you stop to let someone cross the person behind you will honk and might even pull out a gun and shoot you for stopping.
Pedestrians also need to realize it's not ok to cross when it says don't cross.
Either way, no matter what we say the city of Baltimore won't enforce the law. After all, they don't even enforce the 'bus bike' lanes on Pratt and Lombard street.
Posted by: Phillip | January 13, 2011 12:50 PM
The cops could easily set up shop on Key Highway at William St, right behind the Science Center. Cars never stop at that crosswalk even though a Ped Cig sign in the middle of the street.
Posted by: jtn | January 13, 2011 3:53 PM
Pffft- Baltimore police enforcing pedestrian rights???? Hope they disarm the force first, or next we'll have mass shootings of pedestrians and bikers.
Posted by: Walker | January 13, 2011 5:53 PM
There are two sides to this whole issue. I like the crosswalk laws and think that they should be reasonably enforced. But I now live in Colorado and find these laws abused by pedestrians daily. especially in shopping mall parking lots. Peoplewalk out of stores and do not even look for cars. They lead their children in front of moving cars and assume that they will stop. A woman was run over and her unborn child killed recently and you can bet she challenged the driver to the right of way or paid absolutely no attention to the traffic. It happens here on a daily basis. These laws give many pedestrians a sense of entitlement, which they do have. Buttoo many people risk their lives and that of their children by assuming that motorists will see them and stop.
Posted by: MrEd | January 13, 2011 10:08 PM
This is the worst city I have ever been to for crosswalk safeety. Most drivers don't seem to know the law is to stop for a pedestrian. I was nearly killed by one in Hunt Valley recently who actually sped up, then stopped just to cuss me out for getting in the way of his suburban.
Posted by: jh | January 14, 2011 11:57 AM
2009 traffic fatality data for Baltimore City (the latest available) 10 drivers 6 passengers and 16 pedestrians. (Nationally pedestrian fatalities are only 12% of all traffic fatalities.)
Additionally Maryland's pedestrian fatality rate is now the forth highest in the nation. You would think enforcement would be a bigger issue then what it is.
Ref:
http://www.baltimorespokes.org/article.php?story=20101101220408408
http://www-fars.nhtsa.dot.gov/States/StatesPedestrians.aspx
Posted by: Barry Childress | January 14, 2011 4:37 PM
A pedestrian at an unsignalized crosswalk is not another speed limit sign to ignore. That pedestrian is the equivalent of a red traffic light and every driver should stop without question. If the prospect of a ticket is not getting drivers’ attention, maybe police should issue tickets and BOOT those cars for a week. It would turn scofflaw drivers into pedestrians and the display of booted cars would be an excellent warning to other drivers.
This would be along the lines of the 2010 Elle’s law http://www.elleslaw.org/ in New York, which increased the penalty for hitting a vulnerable user to include automatically having a driver’s license suspended.
Posted by: John | January 14, 2011 5:23 PM
A big part of the problem is the amount of time it takes for lights at intersections to rotate. They are so out of sync that traffic backs up in many directions. So, when a left turn arrow is green, it happens to be green at the same time as the pedestrians finally get their turn to walk through the cross walk after waiting patiently for a long time. This allows like two cars to get through the intersection because of the pedestrians. This is not effective for traffic, and it's not effective for foot traffic either since that backs up in all directions on sidewalks. What the city should do is institute a walk sign in all four directions while the light is red in all four directions at an intersection. After the allotted time, then make the light turn green for the flow of traffic in one direction, and obviously alternate traffic directions with the alternating being broken up by all crosswalks allowing pedestrians to cross. Based on my own personal experience walking through downtown B'more, this would be a logical way to keep everybody safe and happy.
As for the situation outlined in the blog, I'd suggest putting those "MD Law States You Must Stop For Pedestrians In Crosswalk" signs in the middle of the cross walk. That usually stops or slows down traffic. Or, maybe even make the crosswalk a speed bump or traffic island. Those will also get people to slow down or even stop.
Posted by: Bruce | January 14, 2011 7:24 PM
Michael --
Sorry I missed this post earlier. I do want to inform your readers that in the next 45 days or so, we will be advertising a project to construct approx. 40 flashing signals, re-stripe nearly 600 crosswalk legs, install more than 150 new ADA accessible ramps/curb cuts, and install nearly 700 pedestrian countdown signals. All of these will be done in school zones -- part of our Safe Routes to Schools strategic plan.
Look for a further announcement in the Spring regarding a major Citywide traffic calming investment.
Posted by: Jamie Kendrick | January 14, 2011 7:24 PM
Jamie, thanks for the update. Looking forward to hearing about the City's plans.
Posted by: Jen Gaffney | January 15, 2011 8:33 AM
I called 311 about two months ago about the Gwynns Falls and Auchentoroly Terrace crossing.
Traffic turning right from Gwynns Falls onto Auchentoroly Terrace pretty much never stops until right when the light turns red for them. This means I either have to wait a long time for them to get done and then run like a crazy person across the street right when the light is changing, brazenly walk out and hope they stop for me ( which I do sometimes because I get tired of waiting!), or wait until the light turns red for Gwynn's falls and the traffic from Auchentoroly Terrace clears and I can go across but be a jaywalker. I also have to watch out for the people turning from my right to get onto Auchentoroly, and they are usually turning during the only time I have to get across myself, when the almost relentless right turning traffic clears.
They put pedestrian crossing signs up all over the place about a month after my call, but I think what is really needed is a pedestrian activated pedestrian only cycle of the light. Or a bridge across. :p
Posted by: Jenny Heidewald | January 15, 2011 11:14 AM