Posts tagged Crosswalks
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Careful jaywalking saves lives
To make streets walkable, we need to re-think the basic principles of how people on foot and people in cars share the roadway. This is the first of a multi-part opinion series. Pedestrians put themselves in danger if they wait for a walk signal instead of crossing the street whenever and wherever it looks safest. There are no definitive studies, but that is what available… Keep reading…
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Why long waits to cross the street might be good for humanity
We’ve often criticized “beg buttons,” those buttons you have to push (and then wait) before being able to cross a street. But maybe civilization depends on them? Beg buttons, by their very nature, put people on foot at a lower level of priority than people driving. The drivers get a green light at set times whether they’re there or not, but people walking… Keep reading…
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You don’t have to push this button to cross the street
If you walk to a corner and see a button to activate the walk signal, you might need to push it. Or you might not. It might only be there to activate a chirping noise for people with vision impairments. Unfortunately, there’s no way to tell. Keep reading…
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Traffic engineers still rely on a flawed 1970s study to reject crosswalks
When St. Louis decided not to maintain colorful new crosswalks that residents had painted, the city’s pedestrian coordinator cited federal guidance. A 2011 FHWA memo warns that colorful designs could “create a false sense of security” for pedestrians and motorists. Keep reading…
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Pedestrian deaths tripled in Fairfax County. Bad road design didn’t help.
Eleven people on foot died in crashes in Fairfax County in 2015. That continues a rising trend since 2012, when the number was just four. What’s going on? Keep reading…
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Breakfast links: Priorities
Creeping back to normal; New Olympic sport; See something, shovel something; Bikes are not a priority; To the skies; The sharing economy digs out; Where does all the snow go?; Where’s the beef?. Keep reading…
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Construction has made a busy Silver Spring street dangerous for pedestrians
In downtown Silver Spring, a busy Georgia Avenue sidewalk is closed for the construction of a new apartment building. The signed pedestrian detour is very inconvenient, and many people are choosing to walk in the travel lanes of the road instead. Keep reading…
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Video: Crossing a city street should not be this dangerous
Crosswalks are supposed to make it safer to walk across a street, but they don’t work if drivers don’t stop or slow down. This video of my morning commute shows how scary walking can be, and why it’s worth taking efforts to make crosswalks better. Video of the walk across North Capitol at Pierce Street NE by the author. “Please pardon the Blair Witch Project-style… Keep reading…
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Check out Alexandria’s efforts to make crossing a busy street on a bike safer
Sometimes called “bike crossings,” intersection crossing markings that both tell cyclists where the safest place to cross a street and remind drivers to watch out for cyclists may be coming to Alexandria. Would what’s planned for Alexandria make cyclists safer? Keep reading…
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Breakfast links: See something, say something
Riders on the edge; I-395 HOV to HOT; WMATARU changes; Compromise on Westbard; Developers face the music; 9th and V crossing; Ride to remember; Drop the case; And…. Keep reading…