Pedestrian crossing needed at Olive & Grand

..PS, this should probably be another SCF issue, but the bus stop on Grand Ave (east bound), which I beleive was temporary due to construction is still there. It causes a huge problem because the bus isn't short enough to pull forward, and it stops AT the sign, causing all sorts of traffic problems.

.....and I can't close it, since only the acknowledger can do so. Sorry!

Since it was acknowledged by the city, I'm thinking they should be closing it, since we've had this intersection for a few months now...but I'll go ahead and close it since it looks like they're not as active on SCF as they once were.

Not to be sarcastic, but this intersection has been like this forever. We're just back to what it was in 2006 before the bridge closed, but actually it's better since there is actually crosswalk paint. I walk across this intersection all the time (i live on Lyon). It's not THAT hard to cross.

The problem here is that the bridge was a state DOT project and the traffic signal is a city project, and the 2 communicate about as well as 2 people speaking different languages.

Consequently, when bridge was ready to be opened, it just opened. The state announced it and went ahead and did it. It made ZERO bearing that the city wasn't ready with the traffic signals, since, quite frankly, the state DOT really doesn't care about pedestrians, seeing us as some weird thing that get in the ways of cars.

Aha. So we're left with a situation where the traffic signals work just fine, but the pedestrian crossing signals won't work at all until this summer? And in the meantime, those of us stupid enough to walk through this intersection continue to play Frogger with our lives. Brilliant.

Thanks for the information and update, Pedro.

I have seen a lot of other intersections with new - but unconnected - traffic lights.

It's not just this intersection, everyone. The city is replacing their entire central city traffic light management computer, since the old one died.

It's not just a matter of "turning on" this one intersection, it's a matter of finishing the whole system (something like 20 intersections) and then switching over to that system.

As far as I know, it's on schedule and should be done this summer.

Well said - I agree. The signals are just standing there in place, just finish the @#$% job already.

bridge has been open for a while now... still no functioning signals. Very dangerous intersection for peds because approaching from the south it looks like all the lights are red when in fact there is an extended green on the other side that can't be seen. It is disrespectful to pedestrians to open up this intersection in a way that is safe for cars only.

I was really hoping that pedestrian crossings would be in place when they reopened the bridge.

This is a fantastically dangerous intersection for pedestrians.

The bridge is open, but they are nowhere near complete, so work commences. It looks like lights and crosswalks are on their way, but there is also the whole artisan street part of the bridge which is not yet open.
Needless to say, it's still going to be hard to cross during rush hour until crosswalks are put into place!

Thanks C. Benoit for the update. I believe the Grand Ave bridge is in fact opening this week. However, it's distressing to note that there is still no pedestrian walk signal across this intersection of Grand and Olive. As it stands now, I jaywalk every morning and evening when a break in car traffic appears. This morning I was joined by 7 other pedestrian commuters doing the same. When the bridge opens it will become impossible to continue jaywalking safely across this intersection. It appears that the beginning infrastructure for walk signals has been installed, but all it is right now is concrete and pipe, no wires, no poles, no signals. I am crossing my fingers there are also no injuries before they finally get up and running.

Buses on Olive are about to end. They are there because the Grand Avenue bridge has been closed.

And clean the sidewalks, particularly under the overpasses. There is no reason we should have to walk through broken glass and debris. I find the situation very disrespectful of pedestrians.

Michael is correct. The issue needs to be expanded and looked at more holistically. The bus stop on Grand is within about 30 ft of the intersection with Olive and this causes long lines, delays and a terribly safety hazard for pedestrians and vehicular traffic as well.
Solution: The bus stop should be moved further east.

The CT transit drivers and the First Student bus drivers are dangerous.
1. I have seen both of them regularly drive through pedestrian cross-walks when pedestrians were in the cross-walk.
2. The drivers are often on their cell phones.
3. The drivers do not provide right of way.
4. They are discourteous and do not provide right of way to pedestrians or vehicles.

There is inadequate turning radius on the streets for some of the buses.
1. Chapel and Olive: buses headed east and turning north and buses on Chapel heading west turning north ( onto Olive) force traffic waiting at the red light to back up.
2. I was almost hit by a CT transit bus on Monday when I was waiting to cross East St on the SW corner of Chapel. Had I not jumped back, I would have been wiped out.

PJ wrote in to say, "
VERY GOOD POINTS INDEED!

P. J."

There should be crosswalks on Olive Street where all the bridges are. This should be included along with pedestrian lighting. It's obvious the city isn't doing even the very basic things they can do to promote a pedestrian friendly city.
1. Crosswalks, 2. Pedestrian Street Lighting, 3. Repairing sidewalks, 4. Planting more trees
It's a pretty easy problem to solve. Frankly, this issue should be lumped into the lighting issue, and just make it a general pedestrian issue for wooster sq.