Keep Tweaking the Downtown Crosswalks

A few weeks ago, I catalogued some issues with the downtown pedestrian crossing signals. There were two specific issues identified, along with suggested solutions:

1. Crosswalk signals are only triggered by the push of a button.

2. There is inconsistency in how long a crosswalk signal stays green as compared to how long the traffic signal stays green.

Thanks to others advocating for these changes and the work of council members, specifically Keely Briggs and others on the Mobility Committee who recently held a walking tour of the area with city traffic engineers, we are starting to see some improvements.

3 out of the 4 corners of the square are now equipped with automatic pedestrian crossing signals (no need to push a button). For some reason, the intersection of Elm and Oak didn’t get changed - in order to get a green pedestrian signal at all four sides of this intersection, you must still press the crosswalk button, as is seen below:

Regarding the second issue - that of signal timing inconsistency - we have yet to see any changes. In some cases, the pedestrian countdown to a ‘red hand’ coincides with the timing of the traffic signal switching to yellow. In other cases, the pedestrian countdown to a ‘red hand’ takes place long before the traffic signal switches to yellow, not allowing pedestrians to cross when it is clearly safe to do so. Pedestrians should expect consistency in what a pedestrian signal means. If I get used to walking with a ‘red hand’ at some crossings because I know I have plenty of time to do it, I might assume that I can do the same at another intersection that doesn’t have the same timing issues.

The following are examples of the unnecessarily short crosswalk signal times.

Hickory and Elm Intersection

The signal for cars stays green for over 30 seconds after the pedestrians crossing North and South across Hickory are told they need to stop.

Locust and Oak Intersection

The same North-South signal crossing problems occur here where the signal for cars stays green for a whole 35 seconds after the pedestrians crossing North and South across Oak are told they need to stop.

Hickory and Locust Intersection

This timing issue happens in all directions at this intersection, as you will see below. The signal for cars traveling East or West stays green for about 25 seconds after the pedestrians crossing Locust are told they need to stop. Pedestrians going North and South across Hickory have 15 less seconds of right-of-way than cars.