Descrição
On 9/2/6 I observed 7 cars continue at speed through the intersection while two children stood with bikes to walk across Chamblee Dunwoody. Cars are not stopping or slowing as they approach the new island. A brighter or red flashing light in the morning, sign stating cars must stop, or daily police presence during school hours must be added.
This is a regularly used intersection and a serious accident will occur if traffic is not better controlled.
14 Comentários
Reconhecido Dunwoody Public Works (Oficial Verificado)
wtr3 (Utilizador Registado)
Note that the state law requires pedestrians to start crossing, not just stand there (which sounds kind of dangerous), before cars have to stop.
Kim K (Utilizador Registado)
CEP (Utilizador Registado)
I read an interesting quote in the Crier from a city official, who said a car need not yield to a pedestrian passively standing at the edge of a crosswalk. He said the pedestrian must make a move. Or words to that effect. So unless your kids make a move indicating they want to cross, the car need not yield. Is that nuts, or what? Insane. And the City REFUSES to consider installing pedestrian-activated yellow flashing lights, remaining committed to the current (archaic) flashers. You can write Councilor Nall, but he is well-aware of the situation.
It is nuts to expect kids to "make a move" into the street. Nuts. And it's nuts that the City won't install a pedestrian-activated light that children could activate to more safely cross.
Find a Crier from, I think, this past week.
wtr3 (Utilizador Registado)
wtr3 (Utilizador Registado)
Kim K (Utilizador Registado)
CEP (Utilizador Registado)
The Crier had a recent article in which a City official indicated that a pedestrian must make a move (or some such language) to suggest a desire to cross--as in start to cross the street. Teach that to your seven year old.
The City is getting/giving bad counsel. The old yellow lights--for which NB and SB cars actually stop--are archaic and confusing. They should come down and be replaced with pedestrian-activated (i.e. something a seven year old could do) flashing signals, as we've seen lately elsewhere. Mindy, at a Council meeting, in reply to Council Nall (who is aware of the issues at this intersection) again refused to act. So, they want traffic calming--except when it can be directly initiated by a pedestrian for safe crossing. The traffic engineers in Dunwoody have not demonstrated particular aplomb in their design or execution. It has taken months to get this job complete. It's been and remains a mess.
The Boys (Utilizador Registado)
CEP (Utilizador Registado)
Agree with The Boys. And sorry for the double posting above--the first posting appeared not to have uploaded.
Kim is correct--the City will not allow the old flashing yellows and the pedestrian-activated yellows together. Seems to me (and many others) that the PAYs would do more for safety than the current flashing red/yellows. Anyone leaving Redfield knows they need to stop. Cars on CDR just get confused and either totally ignore the yellows or come to a stop.
The traffic engineers have just really dropped the ball on this one.
Joe Seconder (Utilizador Registado)
Dunwoody Public Works (Oficial Verificado)
Dunwoody Public Works (Oficial Verificado)
While drivers should stop for pedestrians waiting to use crosswalks, current State Law does not require drivers to do so. State Law does require that drivers stop for pedestrians who have entered the crosswalk “when the pedestrian is upon the half of the roadway upon which the vehicle is traveling, or when the pedestrian is approaching and is within one lane of the half of the roadway on which the vehicle is traveling or onto which it is turning”. This means that approaching drivers must stop for any pedestrian within their lane and at this location, drivers in BOTH directions of travel must stop for pedestrians within the refuge island. The city will be adding signage similar to the previous in-street sign, intended to remind drivers of this state law. If vehicles are not stopping for pedestrians as stated above, police enforcement can then be applied at this location.
Theconstruction of the median refuge island provides a significant pedestrian safety improvement compared to the previous crossing. It also provides an improved opportunity for pedestrians to find a sufficient gap in traffic to allow them to safely enter the crosswalk. If a pedestrian identifies a gap in traffic approaching from the left that allows them to safely enter the roadway, the island provides a buffer between themselves and traffic approaching from the right. This buffer then provides time for drivers approaching from the right to identify that a pedestrian has entered the crosswalk, allowing them time to stop prior to the pedestrian arriving at the island. Pedestrians can improve their safety by making sure drivers see them before they enter the crosswalk and are encouraged to wear bright or reflective clothing when using the crosswalk at dusk or when it is dark.
Should the existing red/yellow flashing signal be removed,the city would consider the addition of a Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB). However, based on experience at other locations in Dunwoody, this would not necessarily address the initial issue raised (vehicles not stopping for pedestrians waiting to cross) as they are not a traffic control device.
Fechado Public Works Inspector (Utilizador Registado)