Light rail and pedestrians: Why not a crosswalk?
A light rail train was heading north on Howard Street in downtown Baltimore when it made a stop on the right side between Lexington and Saratoga. Dozens of passengers disembarked, and the vast majority of them crossed over the street in the middle of the block, just behind the train.
This may not be strictly legal but it is human nature. No amount of legislating or fulminating or lecturing will stop it. Rich or poor, black or white, male or female, young or old -- it seems we all want to get from Point A to Point B by taking a straight line.
My question for the city Department of Transportation is this: Given that this is how pedestrians react to this configuration of transit and street, why not create a crosswalk at the point where they are going to cross anyway? Even when pedestrians are in the wrong, drivers are obligated to avoid hitting them anyway, so why not provide that extra measure of protection to people on foot?
Here's a modest suggestion: Have one of those sharp traffic engineers with the department follow the light rail through town and chart where the passengers are crossing. Then design measures to protect them. It's not as if Howard Street was intended to be a fast-moving street for drivers.
Yes, the city could wait for a fatality. Or, at the risk of sounding unoriginal, it could "do it now."
Comments
Why not create a crosswalk at the point where they are going to cross anyway?
Litigation.
Posted by: BrianHLT | May 27, 2011 12:56 PM
Using that logic that we should have a cross walk where ever people cross the street then Eutaw between Fayette and Saratoga should be a cross walk because people cross where ever they choose.
Posted by: Paul | May 27, 2011 1:25 PM
As a "sharp traffic engineer", I'll tell you that it is poor engineering practice to place a marked crosswalk at a location just because that's where most people are crossing. Marked crosswalks need to be placed in locations where drivers expect pedestrians to cross. Otherwise, the marked crosswalk gives pedestrians a false sense of security while violating drivers' expectations. If there is simply no alternative location for a marked pedestrian crossing, then you have two options: 1) Construct a barrier to physically prevent pedestrians from crossing at that location, or 2) Determine if a pedestrian-actuated traffic signal can be safely installed at that location. In the case of #2, the volume of pedestrian traffic should satisfy the minimum requirements given in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. Otherwise, you'll end up where BrianHLT said you would - Litigation.
COMMENT: If this is a place where pedestrians cross in droves regularly, wouldn't it be best to alert drivers to expect them to cross there -- with signage or a crosswalk? It would seem the city is more exposed to litigation by failing to take that precaution than by omitting it.
It's a little like deer crossing signs: You put them up where they do cross, not where you wish they would cross.
A pedestrian-activated button doesn't sound effective for a mass migration. Maybe a signal activated by the light rail itself would work.
Posted by: GreenMeansGo | May 27, 2011 1:58 PM
What about when the MTA runs three car trains for sports events? The crosswalk wouldn't line up with the tail of the train. Sure, it's a minor aesthetic issue, but still...
Same goes for the single car Camden-Penn trains as well.
Posted by: Mike D | May 27, 2011 3:33 PM
The City DOT won't put a crosswalk at the end of a 2-car light rail train, because the Maryland DOT (MTA) doesn't want pedestrians (especially riders) crossing legally in back of a stopped light rail train. Why? Because opposite direction light rail train operators would have to yield to those crossing pedestrians, and bringing one of those trains to a stop unexpectedly is not something that can be done in the distance available when a crosser emerges suddenly behind a train.
COMMENT: Good point.
Posted by: Steve Storms | May 27, 2011 5:47 PM
Another location in need of a crosswalk at a Light Rail Station is Howard and Preston, north side.
http://www.baltimorebybus.com/howard-street-at-preston-street-at-the-light-rail-station-is-there-a-safer-way-to-cross/
Posted by: Jessica | May 31, 2011 9:08 AM
Replying to Paul:
You have read the latest research (Zegeer) on crosswalks, I hope?
The Bruce Herms' 1972 mantra "False Sense of Security" was never based on statistical analysis!
http://streetswiki.wikispaces.com/Crosswalks,+Uncontrolled
http://www.techtransfer.berkeley.edu/newsletter/03-2/crosswalk.php
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/04100/ref.cfm
Posted by: Erik G. | June 1, 2011 2:54 PM