Requesting ‘no right on red’ sign at Fauntleroy and Alaska

[WSWanderer]

Can you kind folks help me by calling SDOT to make this request?

I’m very concerned about the likelihood of someone getting hit at the new crosswalk at Fauntleroy and Alaska, especially with WF opening soon. I have seen many cars making a right on red there and nearly hitting pedestrians (including me). When I called SDOT, I was sent this response from William Burns:

“A driver failing to yield for pedestrians is a common complaint received by SDOT. SDOT encourages pedestrian awareness when crossing a street, whether in a marked crosswalk or at an unmarked intersection. Drivers may be inattentive, reckless, or impaired and a pedestrian should be very aware of any vehicle at or nearing the intersection. Thankfully, in the last three years there were no reported pedestrian collisions at Fauntleroy Way SW and SW Alaska Street.

We will continue to monitor this location, and make modifications if they are warranted in the future.”

He’s putting the onus on pedestrians and clearly won’t do anything until someone gets hurt. He doesn’t realize there haven’t been any issues in the last few years because that crosswalk is relatively new!

Please call SDOT and request a ‘no turn on red’ sign at the intersection so they realize more people than just me are concerned about this. (206) 684-7623

Thanks!

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[scott]

I’m supportive as well, not just for the pedestrians but because layout of the intersection means that drivers are blind to westbound vehicular traffic on Alaska.

Having said that, as a pedestrian myself, the onus is on the pedestrian if you want to stay alive. Signs are not magical barriers; look at all the people who don’t see/ignore the no-right-on-red signs at Alaska/California. If you aren’t careful and get hit by a car, it’s physics that decides the outcome, regardless of signs or whose fault it is.

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[Talaki34]

Put in a gentle curving raised walkway with access ramps or make it circular to accommodate the whole intersection. Cars pass below unencumbered and pedestrians/bike riders are above safe and sound. We could even make the whole area a nice green space including rain gardens with lots of native plants and dog friendly areas. Sound mitigation could also be addressed since you have more living spaces in the area.

IMHO the problem is not with drivers vs. pedestrians, but in city planning. We don’t pay attention to the details when development takes place. The city looks at money, the developers look at money and the people who will use the space generally hope for the best.

The area is changing whether we embrace it or not. We can make this area an oasis to be envied or we can put up some signs that may or may not work.

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[Ponderosa]

I’ll absolutely put in a request. It would be great to have one that lights up too. In addition, we should be demanding safe crossings outside of signage. As someone who prefer to get around on foot/transit (but drives some too), I can say signage is only going to deter some. I imagine this area will be looked at during the lightrail construction, where we should demand safe crossings. Right now the lanes are wide at most parts of this intersection and the striping isn’t very tight. It’s contributing to the issue. About a decade ago, I lived a block away–and iirc, we had to cross using the 3 other crosswalks because pedestrians weren’t allowed to cross here. I wish SDOT would have considered that throwing up a basic crosswalk at an intersection that banned pedestrians for years would have required additional traffic calming measures.

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