Description
This intersection is a route to school (Edmunds) for kids in the Five Sisters neighborhood and other South End neighborhoods. This is a complicated, 5-way intersection with no Walk /Don't Walk signals. Would like to see pedestrian improvements or a crossing guard assigned.
21 Comments
IT Department (Verified Official)
Закрыта Eavelle (Registered User)
(Status wouldn't slow me to select 'fix it')
I feel this needs to be fixed! I live right at this intersection and know first hand as well as see daily many examples of how this intersection is so dangerous. My family crosses multiple times per day. I have in fact taught my children to jay walk Winooski and then St Paul further north on the street because it is way safer by limiting the variables and ability to see any traffic heading in our direction. That is obviously not ideal. It is also not possible to jay walk much of the year (snow and crab apple dropping season) and thus we are left to gamble with our safety.
Last year many neighbors got together to try and get this changed but to no avail. It disappoints me that the city of Burlington hasn't taken action for the safety of our children and all citizens.
Reopened Jessica Oski (Registered User)
Andrew Simon (Guest)
Wendy Hess (Registered User)
Resident (Registered User)
Признана SCormier (Verified Official)
Bill Ward Director of Permitting and Inspections (Verified Official)
The Department of Public Works has a meeting scheduled as follows:
PROJECT STATUS
November 2016 - Please join the Burlington Department of Public Works and your neighbors to meet, discuss, and experience the South Winooski, St Paul, and Howard Street intersection. We will gather at the intersection on Saturday, November 12 at 10:00 AM to walk, roll, and observe the intersection. We are building upon past planning efforts to develop short-, medium-, and long-term improvements that will benefit all travelers, and we need you input: what works, what doesn’t, and what can we do about it? Hot cider, apples, and donuts will be provided!
Bill Ward Director of Permitting and Inspections (Verified Official)
https://www.burlingtonvt.gov/sites/default/files/DPW/TransportationProjects/5CornersScopingStudy/WHSP%20-%20LCM%20-%20Flyer.pdf
Resident (Registered User)
SCormier (Verified Official)
SCormier (Verified Official)
C (Registered User)
Ryan (Registered User)
Traffic Signal Engineer (Verified Official)
A couple of things to think about. Pedestrian signals do not necessarily solve anything here, by the mere presence of them alone. If the signal dwelled in St. Paul Street green for lack of any other traffic, then yes, pedestrian signals would be needed as a means of making it change (buttons) to allow the crossing. Ironically, because of the lack of pedestrian signals, the signal is set to change every time to Howard Street, whether anyone is waiting there or not. We have to assume someone always wants to cross, and cannot operate the signal as-is any other way. Since it changes every time, buttons are not needed.
Pedestrians can see the color of the signals and make a choice of whether to cross or not. Certain signals have "cut-away" visors to increase visibility at greater angles. Traditionally, crossing was always at the "spokes" of the wheel, so to speak, not across the middle of the intersection. This worked well for the first 40+ years of operation. The signal was updated from a single 5-way head to its current configuration in July 1994, but it still mimics the earlier operation of changing every time for Howard Street.
Sometime in the 2000's a crosswalk was added to the north side of Howard, through the middle of the intersection. This creates a path of longer distance versus shorter crossings at the perimeter. I would instruct my own kids not to use this crosswalk because of the increased exposure. Its presence is not as desirable, in my opinion, as the former method of perimeter only crossings. It does not seem to be causing major problems as a fairly low-volume crossing.
Pedestrian signals are a huge expense for what appears to be a non-problem. Ledge or solid rock in the area makes installation of underground conduit to all corners, which is necessary for pedestrian signals, a scary proposition. To put this in perspective, in 1995 we replaced the signal at North Avenue & Institute Road by the high school. To make the transition to a new signal more efficient and less disruptive, the plan was to add a second pole and mount new control equipment before removing the first. Dirt work had been contracted out for $4700. It was not an overly expensive upgrade. In the process of drilling a hole for the new pole it was discovered that the whole area was solid rock. We allowed the contractor a justified add-on for additional work to drill the hole. A 5' hole took a whole day of chipping and cost $1250 in additional work.
Imagine this type of complication, not just for a single hole, but for an entire trench across a street, times four. The entire process would be loud, disruptive to traffic and pedestrians, and is not guaranteed to be free of additional complications. A likely six-digit price is justified for very busy crossings, perhaps, but this has to be prioritized versus other things needing attention.
I have made it known that I am not in favor of pedestrian signals here for the above reasons, and in fact would lobby against them as a conscientious steward of other people's (tax) money.
The expense of pedestrian signals, combined with the need to stop traffic on St. Paul Street over and over, makes this a candidate for a small roundabout, if such a thing were to work within the footprint of the intersection. Slowing down to make the turn, and yielding to pedestrians and other traffic already in the circle, would amount to reduced speeds and possibly safer crossings, with less delay to all. Could be a rare win-win-win in the traffic world, but again, only if the geometry allows.
Chapin Spencer, DPW Director (Verified Official)
Ted (Registered User)
Закрыта Traffic Signal Engineer (Verified Official)
OldVtr (Registered User)
Ted (Registered User)
Chapin Spencer, DPW Director (Verified Official)