Home › Forums › Open Discussion › How difficult would it be to get a crosswalk in place?
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May 8, 2012 at 8:46 pm #603185
blessedmamaMemberI have absolutely no idea how to go about this but thought some of you might. I live at the intersection of Alaska and 41st Ave and have the most difficult time crossing the street to get to Trader Joe’s. I’ve seen many many people racing across the road just before cars fly past them. So many people are risking crossing right there that I really think we need a crosswalk. Any ideas on how to make this happen??
May 8, 2012 at 8:48 pm #757684
datamuseParticipanthttp://www.seattle.gov/economicDevelopment/biz_district_guide/crosswalks.htm looks like the information you’re looking for.
May 8, 2012 at 8:51 pm #757685
kgdlgParticipantSDOT is really only willing to place crosswalks at intersections that are signaled already. This is because crosswalks, without a traffic signal, actually end up causing more accidents and not less, as pedestrians feel safer, but drivers don’t always slow down or know the crosswalk is there. I think this would be particularly true here, as this is a very main arterial that people often speed on. Why aren’t people using the crosswalk at Faultleroy and Alaska?
May 8, 2012 at 9:09 pm #757686
datamuseParticipantMaybe they’re afraid of falling into the Hole.
May 8, 2012 at 11:56 pm #757687
blessedmamaMemberwell there isn’t a crosswalk on the west side of that intersection. I learned the hard way thought I’d take a quick walk over to Trader Joes..found that I had to use 3 crosswalks to get over to the Trader Joes side! One to cross Fauntleroy, then cross Alaska the I had to cross Fauntleroy again to get to where I needed to be. Next time I’ll be walking up to 42nd and cross at that light. I could really use the extra excersize.
Thank you for the link datamuse, I’m going to look into it further.
May 9, 2012 at 12:41 am #757688
SueParticipantI went through this process of trying to get a pedestrian light (which ultimately was installed) at Dawson/Fauntleroy. It took lots of forms, emails and patience. They had to do studies to see if it was a viable location. And once they finally did decide it was, then it took many months before there was a budget to actually create it.
They pretty much told me that they would not put in a crosswalk without a signal because, as was mentioned earlier, it’s actually more dangerous to have a painted crosswalk – pedestrians sometimes feel as if they do not have to watch for traffic because they’re in a crosswalk (I was told). Considering that there is already a light/crosswalk at 42nd/Alaska, I would think it would be unlikely that they’d create another one at 41st. But it doesn’t hurt to ask.
One place I really wish had a pedestrian crossing is at Fauntleroy/Alaska between the Shell station and the Hole. I live on that side of Fauntleroy, south of Alaska, and to get to Trader Joe’s I have to cross Fauntleroy to the other side of Alaska, then cross Alaska, then cross back over Fauntleroy. Not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but would be nice to not have to do 3 crossings when one would do. But considering the way that intersection is set up, I don’t see that happening anytime soon.
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