Here’s a question from a Road Warrior reader. It was quite lengthy, so we’ve edited it down a bit:
I have a big concern about the Caltrans work on the crosswalks in Sebastopol. The flashing lights on the crosswalks are great. However, several of the crosswalks now have a person-height electrical-type box on the sidewalk that obscures the view of a person ready to cross the street.
WHY in the world did they place these on the side of the crosswalk that causes the pedestrian to be obscured when they should have placed them on the opposite side?
One is near 305 North Main at 116 and Keating. When heading north here, a pedestrian is completely obstructed.
Another is at 116/Healdsbug and Harrison/Pitt. WWhen heading west here, a pedestrian can be obstructed.
Another is Healdburg Ave and Murphy Ave. When heading west here, a pedestrian is obstructed and cannot be seen.
Also, why did they leave the sidewalk by Dee’s Diner without any flashing lights?
Last, another complaint is that the streetlights they installed near the crosswalks should direct their light DOWN to illuminate pedestrians at night and they do NOT.
It seems that this project needed much more thorough planning and thought if it is truly designed to save lives. W
The answer comes from Sue Kelly, engineering director for Sebastopol. (It turns the crosswalk projects were a city project, not Caltrans.) She said she “will take a look at it” and suggested that readers who have complaints/concerns/comments about Sebastopol traffic issues bring them to the city’s attention rather than The Press Democrat. The city engineering department can be reached at 823-2151.
Here’s another question:
What’s with the road surfaces on the #2 lanes between Healdsburg and Windsor? The bad surfaces from Cloverdale south to Healdsburg have been scraped and are pretty much OK, and, of course, there’s the lovely new paving from Windsor south. But the stretch in between (southbound is far worse than northbound) is the forgotten stepsister. Southbound’s #2 lane is broken into pieces!
Any plans to address this? Samantha of Ukiah
The answer comes from Caltrans spokesman Adam Priest: “We have an upcoming slab replacement/repair project on Route 101 from Healdsburg to Windsor. Currently this project is under design, and we anticipate construction will be next summer.”
———–
If you have a question, please email it to jim.fremgen@pressdemocrat.com and please include your name and town.
———–
Follow the Road Warrior on Twitter via @PDRoadWarrior
frankie
good tip to have re: contacting sebastopol city re: the crosswalks… another oddity about them is during the day, the pedestrian can’t really see the lights indicating it is safe to cross (not that one should ever cross based solely on that). Would be great to have something so a pedestrian knows that it’s technically safe to cross, I see alot of hesitation as folks measure safety by cars slowing down-stopping.
August 3rd, 2012 6:23 pm
Jeff
Sue Kelly is a little too snippy for my taste. The average person has no idea whether a project is a city project or a CalTrans project.
August 4th, 2012 10:17 am
JEFF FERDINANDSON
Yep. I just used that crosswalk and it was unnerving wondering if it was time to cross or not. Still better than before though.
August 4th, 2012 10:38 am
Fred Mangels
frankie wrote, “Would be great to have something so a pedestrian knows that it’s technically safe to cross,…“.
I’ll go out on a limb and beg to differ:
I wonder if these efforts to protect pedestrians might make actually make things worse?
Here in Eureka I’ve noticed over the years that pedestrians seem to be getting more and more careless. Often, I’ll see pedestrians only check for traffic once before crossing the street, if they check at all. Once they’re in the street they just look straight ahead as if they’re assuming there’s no traffic or, if there is, that traffic will stop for them.
I see it all the time and we have more and more pedestrian vs. vehicle accidents, despite signs, flashing lights and other attempts to make crossing the street safer.
Maybe we ought to take the opposite approach and let pedestrians know it’s up to them to ensure their own safety while crossing the street? Take down the signs and warning lights and more people might keep a closer eye out for traffic when walking?
As it is, despite the efforts and making things safer, we seem to have more accidents. It might help to make pedestrians more responsible for their own safety rather than less.
August 4th, 2012 11:10 am
sam
@Fred: while I agree that pedestrians need to use care when crossing it is ultimately the motorists who need to use great caution as they are far more dangerous and fast moving. Removing safety measures for pedestrians would seem to put those of us on foot at greater risk for injury. Are you really willing to go so far just to prove a point?
August 4th, 2012 11:50 am
Joseph Donegan
I always find this issue interesting, in California pedestrians have right away, in most states the cars do. As a result of having cars having right away, the places where we have crosswalks in CA, other states have stoplight and other traffic control devises to allow pedestrians a safe crossing, rarely is a driver ever at fault when a person is jaywalking when they are hit. In California it is the old antage “you may be right, BUT it doesn’t pay to be Dead Right!”.
August 4th, 2012 7:13 pm
Jeff Bodean
The person who wrote the first letter should be hired to run those projects. Excellent and logical observations. The engineering director from Sebastopol, Sue Kelly’s reply was trite and insulting. “We will take a look at it…” and “…comments about Sebastopol traffic issues bring them to the city’s attention rather than The Press Democrat.” Translation of both: this complaint will be filed in the round bin and don’t advertising our blaring engineering failures in the press.
August 4th, 2012 7:42 pm
Fred Mangels
Sam wrote, “ Removing safety measures for pedestrians would seem to put those of us on foot at greater risk for injury.“.
My point is that making pedestrians feel safer puts them at more risk. You care correct that motorists need to use great caution, but the bottom line is that sometimes they don’t.
Pedestrians need to realize that. Not assume that because there’s a flashing light at a crosswalk they can cross without keeping a close eye for approaching traffic. I’m suggesting pedestrians are less cautious- sometimes considerably less- because of safety measures taken.
I’m not suggesting “Walk/Don’t Walk” signs be removed from signaled intersections, but to use one local intersection for an example: after I made my original post here yesterday, I was working at a signaled intersection in Eureka.
I noticed a gal walk across the street when she had the green light. That was legal and shouldn’t be a problem, except she never bothered looking for approaching traffic. A red light should stop traffic but cars occasionally run red lights. She just walked into the crosswalk and, not only didn’t look for traffic, she was looking down at the ground as she crossed.
I don’t know if she would have done the same thing at an unmarked intersection. I do think the traffic light gave her a false sense of security that could have gotten her killed. Pedestrians have to realize motorists often make mistakes and flashing lights and signs aren’t any guarantee of their safety.
August 5th, 2012 7:01 am
M. Watercress
@ Joseph Donegan- Are you suggesting that in other states the motorist has the right-of-way in a crosswalk? What states?
August 5th, 2012 12:26 pm
Ren
Can you provide a corresponding number or email to contact Santa Rosa about some of their intersections? Thanks
August 6th, 2012 2:40 pm
Road.Warrior
For Santa Rosa, Robert Sprinkle is the city’s traffic engineer. His number is 543-3817.
August 6th, 2012 2:57 pm