The Crosswalk Ordinance and 4-Lane Streets

[Tim Athan]

In my experience, Ann Arbor’s crosswalk ordinance often makes for risky interactions when the street is a busy 4 lane.

This afternoon I was riding my bicycle, and I stopped at the Fuller Road crosswalk at Fuller Pool. A car in the nearest lane stopped to let me cross.

Other cars roared alongside in the adjacent lane. I didn’t want to venture out while there was high speed traffic passing, so I didn’t move, and I waved-on the stopped car. By then a second car had stopped behind the first, and now a third car was unable to stop and plowed into the second car, which careened forward into the first car.

Fortunately no one was hurt.

[Gmail]

Yikes! That sounds similar to how the young student was killed on Plymouth Road at Traver Mall. One lane stops & the second doesn’t. Do you think crossing at Maiden Lane or Cedar Bend Drive would have made for a safer crossing?

Jan E. Tripp
Ann Arbor
Sent from my iPhone

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[Tim Athan]

I’ve ridden that route many, many times, and tried all the permutations.

I cross at that marked crosswalk because it feels the safest. I can see everything approaching, whereas at the intersections there are drivers turning right on red while looking only to the left! (I was once bumped off my bike in that scenario, at the Maiden Lane intersection, even after I had thought I’d established eye contact.)

The crossing at the pool is a comfortable crossing because there is an island, and the traffic arrives in waves. One never has to wait very long before crossing one lane, then awaiting the traffic in the other direction.

[Tim Athan]

Another comment about the Maiden Lane and Cedar Bend Drive crossings: 

I often find risky crosswalk situations at crosswalks with lights.  There the problem is with drivers who

1) Are aware of Ann Arbor's Crosswalk Ordinance, but;

2) Don't realize that it doesn't apply to crosswalks with working traffic control signals.

I will push the button for the walk signal, and then as I am daydreaming, awaiting the change of light, I'll hear a car screech to a halt at my feet, though it has a green light and other cars are roaring through the intersection. 

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Tim Athan <Tim....@sbcglobal.net>
To: WBWC List <wb...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Sunday, April 22, 2018 9:08 PM
Subject: Re: [WBWC Discussion Forum] The Crosswalk Ordinance and 4-Lane Streets

I’ve ridden that route many, many times, and tried all the permutations.

I cross at that marked crosswalk because it feels the safest.  I can see everything approaching, whereas at the intersections there are drivers turning right on red while looking only to the left!  (I was once bumped off my bike in that scenario, at the Maiden Lane intersection, even after I had thought I’d established eye contact.)

The crossing at the pool is a comfortable crossing because there is an island, and the traffic arrives in waves.  One never has to wait very long before crossing one lane, then awaiting the traffic in the other direction.


> On Apr 22, 2018, at 6:12 PM, Gmail <jant...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Yikes! That sounds similar to how the young student was killed on Plymouth Road at Traver Mall. One lane stops & the second doesn’t. Do you think crossing at Maiden Lane or Cedar Bend Drive would have made for a safer crossing?
>
> Jan E. Tripp
> Ann Arbor
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>> On Apr 22, 2018, at 5:49 PM, Tim Athan <Tim....@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>>
>> In my experience, Ann Arbor’s crosswalk ordinance often makes for risky interactions when the street is a busy 4 lane.
>>
>> This afternoon I was riding my bicycle, and I stopped at the Fuller Road crosswalk at Fuller Pool.  A car in the nearest lane stopped to let me cross. 
>>
>> Other cars roared alongside in the adjacent lane.  I didn’t want to venture out while there was high speed traffic passing, so I didn’t move, and I waved-on the stopped car.  By then a second car had stopped behind the first, and now a third car was unable to stop and plowed into the second car, which careened forward into the first car. 
>>
>> Fortunately no one was hurt.
>>
>> --
>> Please note that WBWC google groups is an unmoderated forum. It was developed by the Washtenaw Bicycling and Walking Coalition as a tool for bikers and walkers to discuss key issues and share information. However, not all views expressed in this group are the views or values of WBWC. For more information about WBWC, meetings, and projects, please visit www.wbwc.org
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>
> --
> Please note that WBWC google groups is an unmoderated forum. It was developed by the Washtenaw Bicycling and Walking Coalition as a tool for bikers and walkers to discuss key issues and share information. However, not all views expressed in this group are the views or values of WBWC. For more information about WBWC, meetings, and projects, please visit www.wbwc.org
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[Gmail]

I’ve always crossed Fuller at the traffic signals. I prefer the Cedar Bend light as Maiden Lane is too busy. I could easily see how you could get bumped by a distracted driver at that intersection. I cross Maiden Lane a block north of Fuller at the BB trail to avoid the crosswalk. I hope the proposed BB trail underpass will become a reality soon.

[Erica Briggs]

Hi Tiim, 

You're absolutely right, busy 4-lane streets are the worst case scenarios for pedestrian crossings. And they're also the most necessary. As you know, WBWC has been lobbying for stronger crosswalk designs for many years and although the City undertook a lengthy public input process with the goal of standardizing and improving design, we haven't seen the final draft of that the design standards yet. This is definitely an issue we need to raise with the Transportation Commission. For roads like Fuller, we know we need highly visible crosswalks (the crosswalk design on Plymouth is more robust than on Fuller) and we also may need to work on slowing traffic. That road is wide and driver's can get going particularly fast along it. We also need to get serious about regular, highly visible enforcement.  Jan, you're also correct, there are opportunities for crossing Fuller below grade and we need to get those connections established. 

What we can't do is give up. As you also know, one of the key reasons WBWC originally pushed for a better  crosswalk ordinance (and then better crossings) is because safe crossings are essential to accessible communities and communities that work for everyone (the elderly, the disabled, kids...).  Sometimes it helps to see how far we've come. Remember this video we made in 2009?  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsT5ZJUnBg0

We still have a long way to go, but we are making progress. There's lots of data now about what works and what doesn't. We need to press for better designs at our most dangerous crossings and along our most dangerous corridors. 

~Erica 

PS. So glad no one was hurt. That is a horrifying scenario to witness. 

[Owen Jansson]

The Pedestrian Safety and Access Task Force (p.16) recommended that the City "Provide active warning beacons (Pedestrian Hybrid Beacons, Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons, or similar) at ALL (emphasis added) unsignalized crosswalks on any road with three or more lanes or two or more lanes in the same direction...." This recommendation was based on the unique safety hazards these roadways provide for the pedestrian, and on the proven ability of active warning beacons to reduce the potential for vehicle-pedestrian accidents at these locations. We also noted (p17) the added danger posed by such crosswalks when they are located mid-block, and the need for additional measures such as advance stop bars at these locations.

I don't have a sense as to the City's progress in implementing the above recommendations - and I realize there are fiscal and other constraints that factor in to that question - but I hope we can get to full implementation of these recommendations!

Owen

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[Linda Diane Feldt]

The city is implementing RRFB s slowly but surely. A big glitch was the feds suddenly halting their installation due to a patent concern. That’s mostly been worked out, but it didn’t help what I’d already a slow process. Still working on getting more task force recommendations implemented!

Linda Diane Feldt