[Vision2020] Crosswalk Flags: Another Pedestrian CrossingonPullman Road Hit

[joekc at roadrunner.com]

Dan,

Thanks a lot for the information.

Flags won't help. The problem is in the early part of the day most people walk toward the UI and in the latter part of the day most people walk toward the apartments.

Yesterday I drove past that crosswalk around 3:30 and it was a total mess. Every other minute folks were pushing the buttons -- they were spread out by about 10 feet each -- and kids would just dart out to try to make it across. Many of the cars noticed the procession and tried to dart out, too, so they wouldn't have to wait. A total mess. I had my son in the car and, noticing the mess, I told him never to use that crosswalk. Just say "No." Abstinence is the only policy.

In my time at the crosswalk I saw about 10-15 folks cross and not one of them was what I would call smart. It is fine to say that the kids need to be responsible because, well, they need to be more responsible. But they won't be. 

Did you know that the frontal lobe in human beings doesn't fully develop until a person is in his or her mid-20s? The frontal lobe is more or less the responsibility center of the brain, where means to ends reasoning, rational decision making, and suppression of dangerous behavior takes place.

I've been teaching those kids for over 20 years and when I found that out suddenly everything made a lot of sense!

Again, thanks for taking the time to provide information on the Viz!

--
Joe Campbell

---- Dan Carscallen <areaman at moscow.com> wrote: 
> You are correct, Shawn.  There are flags at the 8th street intersection
> by Gritman.  There were also flags at the Hwy 8 crosswalk.
>  
> for some reason they kept disappearing . . . And besides, sometimes you
> can't get some people to put out the effort to push the crosswalk
> button, how are you going to get them to carry a flag?  I echo Saundra
> and Kit that pedestrians need to take some responsibility.  Ted makes
> some good points as well -- assume the cars don't see you.  Make eye
> contact with the drivers to make sure they recognize your presence.
>  
> DC
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com
> [mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com] On Behalf Of Shawn Clabough
> Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2008 11:21 PM
> To: vision 2020
> Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Crosswalk Flags: Another Pedestrian
> CrossingonPullman Road Hit
> 
> 
> Do I not recall there being such a container there recently and another
> container of flags near Gritman? 
>  
> Shawn
> 
> From: Donovan Arnold <mailto:donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com>  
> Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2008 10:05 PM
> To: godshatter at yahoo.com ; vision 2020 <mailto:vision2020 at moscow.com>  ;
> Ralph Nielsen <mailto:nielsen at uidaho.edu>  ; Matt
> <mailto:mattd2107 at hotmail.com> Decker 
> Cc: asui at uidaho.edu ; dcarscallen at ci.moscow.id.us ;
> dkeim at moscowchamber.com ; staff at moscowchamber.com ; wmsteed at aol.com ;
> amderd at uidaho.edu ; wkrauss at ci.moscow.id.us ; jweber at moscow.com ;
> tlamar at moscow.com ; blambert at ci.moscow.id.us ; victormazo at uidaho.edu ;
> nchaney at ci.moscow.id.us ; senate at sub.uidaho.edu 
> Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Crosswalk Flags: Another Pedestrian Crossing
> onPullman Road Hit
> 
> 
> I would like to urge Moscow city, business leaders, and student leaders
> to take up the cause of creating an "Adopt a Crosswalk Flag" program
> like so many other cities the United States have already to prevent
> these types of easily avoidable accidents.
>  
> It is cheap, easy, raises awareness, and increases pedestrian safety.
>  
> "The idea is simple. Place a container of flags at each end of the
> crosswalk and instruct pedestrians to carry one with them while
> crossing. The brightly colored flags benefit pedestrians by making them
> more visible to drivers and the simple act of holding one alerts drivers
> that the pedestrian has a desire and intent to cross the street."
> 
> http://www.slcgov.com/Transportation/Pedestrian/pedFlags.htm
>  
> This works in the cities that use them, and I am sure the city
> government, ASUI, and local businesses have the means of buying some
> brightly colored flags, sticks, staples, and containers to put them in.
> It is also less expensive and quicker than getting approval from the
> state government to build an over the road bridge.
>  
> Best Regards,
>  
> Donovan
>  
>  
> 
>   _____  
> 
> Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2008 18:23:22 -0700
> From: godshatter at yahoo.com
> To: Vision2020 at moscow.com; nielsen at uidaho.edu
> Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Pedestrian crossing on Pullman road
> 
> 
> If they decide not to put in a raised pedestrian crosswalk or a light,
> I'd rather they put up a fence along the entire stretch between the two
> lights (obviously except for where the road is) so as to force the
> students to cross at a light.  That would also entail taking out the
> pathway that leads in that direction.
> 
> Not my first choice for a solution, but it's better than what we have
> now.
> 
> Paul
> 
> --- On Tue, 9/23/08, Ralph Nielsen <nielsen at uidaho.edu> wrote:
> 
> 
> 
> From: Ralph Nielsen <nielsen at uidaho.edu>
> Subject: [Vision2020] Pedestrian crossing on Pullman road
> To: "vision 2020" <Vision2020 at moscow.com>
> Date: Tuesday, September 23, 2008, 5:08 PM
> 
> 
> It's obvious that the present arrangement for the
>  crosswalk is  
> unsatisfactory. Five lanes across is too wide for a mere two flashing  
> lights on either side. The lights also have to compete for visibility  
> with all the commercial signs on the north side of the street. These  
> small flashing lights are also hidden by large vehicles if you happen  
> to be behind one.
> 
> Rather than going to the expense of an overhead walkway, with or  
> without circular wheelchair ramps at either end. If without ramps,  
> wheelchair "pedestrians" would have to go over to the traffic light, 
> 
> are there many of these?
> 
> Cheaper than an overpass but very effective,
> 
>  would be an overhead  
> traffic sign stretching right across the street, with crossing times  
> controlled by lights. This would also accommodate wheelchair traffic.
> 
> I'm sure there are other ideas out there.
> 
> Ralph Nielsen
> 
> 
>   _____  
> 
>  
>