Description
There is very poor visibility as a pedestrian crossing S Union Street to southbound traffic, especially as the street curves behind the parked cars. This would be a good candidate for curb extension and/or restricted parking.
There is very poor visibility as a pedestrian crossing S Union Street to southbound traffic, especially as the street curves behind the parked cars. This would be a good candidate for curb extension and/or restricted parking.
33 Comments
Permitting and Inspections (Verified Official)
IT Department (Verified Official)
Acknowledged Bill Ward Director of Permitting and Inspections (Verified Official)
Bill Ward Director of Permitting and Inspections (Verified Official)
Timothy McGrath (Registered User)
Brendan (Registered User)
SCormier (Verified Official)
Timothy McGrath (Registered User)
Toiletmanners (Registered User)
Display Name Blocked (409268) (Registered User)
Toiletmanners (Registered User)
Are you guys helping right now? Yes, don't walk in front of cars. Got it.
The infrastructure here doesn't have good sight lines. Solution? Fix it. It's not helpful to tell people to just deal with a dangerous crosswalk.
Timothy McGrath (Registered User)
Toiletmanners (Registered User)
Timothy; do you see the photograph posted? There is a vehicle parked obstructing the sight line.
You can disagree with someone without insulting them. I'm not sure why you're taking this so personally.
gil (Registered User)
Timothy McGrath (Registered User)
As I said, I live in this neighborhood and I cross that street nearly every day and have done so all my life. AGAIN, the last thing this city needs to do is waste taxpayer money "Improving" this crossing. These days all you have to do is stand in a crosswalk and look at oncoming traffic and they will stop for you, as the law requires. What more could you need?
Your proposed "improvements" will be as pointless as the traffic island they installed in front of 6 Shelburne Road, which does nothing but waste the money the city has to pay for the landscapers to maintain it. I resent suggestions for pointless "improvements" that do nothing but cost the city more tax dollars. My taxes are high enough as is.
Leave the crossing alone. It's worked without incident for over 40 years. That's all it should be required of any infrastructure, new or old.
Toiletmanners (Registered User)
So it's dangerous, but it works. All of the drivers stop because you look at them.
Your experience appears to differ from the poster of this issue. "Pointless improvements" might help this issue, that is clearly shown in the photo. Your workaround of walking into the street to see isn't ideal.
And as far as solutions go, it could be as simple as eliminating the first parking space. No tax hike required.
Display Name Blocked (409268) (Registered User)
Its only as dangerous as you wish to make it.
It is a simple solution to get rid of the parking space, its not your neighborhood and you hate cars. But its a solution to a problem that doesn't exist.
Toiletmanners (Registered User)
Hey, I hate cars now. Awesome. Never mind that I've owned cars, trucks, and a motorcycle, and was training to be an auto technician.
I do strongly dislike the entitlement that comes with driving a car around, embodied by telling pedestrians to make themselves more visible instead of making a crosswalk safer.
"Its only as dangerous as you wish to make it."
Actually it's pretty dangerous if pedestrians can't be seen from the road. Do I need to point out the irony of your screen name again, considering you are once again arguing against better infrastructure?
Display Name Blocked (409268) (Registered User)
No entitlement. Happy to share the road and I do.
Better is a subjective term.
Elizabeth (Registered User)
tmullvt (Registered User)
Toiletmanners (Registered User)
Timothy, you can't even decide how long you have lived here. 52 years? "Over 40 years?" "60+ years?" Your observations don't mean much, especially when the photo in this ticket shows a clear problem.
If you think the solution is to insult people and tell them not to cross the street, you might want to think about your logic.
tmullvt (Registered User)
Timothy McGrath (Registered User)
Display Name Blocked (1367467) (Registered User)
Display Name Blocked (409268) (Registered User)
Toiletmanners (Registered User)
Timothy McGrath (Registered User)
DPW Engineering PP (Verified Official)
DPW Engineering PP (Verified Official)
DPW Engineering PP (Verified Official)
Staff conducted a site visit and found the crosswalk on South Union Street adjacent to 531 South Union Street requires a 20-foot parking prohibition on the west side of South Union Street. The configuration of the driveways adjacent to this crosswalk on the east side of South Union Street prevents vehicles from parking within the 20-foot buffer of the crosswalk; given this, Staff believe it is unnecessary to create a 20-foot parking prohibition on the east side of South Union Street for the crosswalk adjacent to 531 South Union Street.
The 20-foot parking prohibition adjacent to crosswalks is based on the Vermont Agency of Transportation “Guidelines for Pedestrian Crossing Treatments.” Under Title-23, Chapter 013: Operation of Vehicles, Subchapter 010: Stopping, Standing, and Parking: stopping and parking is prohibited within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection. The need is to improve sight lines between pedestrians and motorists, increasing safety for those using the crosswalk.
DPW Staff will be presenting this issue at the January DPW Commission meeting. The DPW Commission meets next Wednesday, December 19, 2018 - 6:30pm in our front conference room here at 645 Pine Street. Feel free to contact customer service at (802)863-9094 should you have any questions.
DPW Engineering PP (Verified Official)
Closed DPW Engineering PP (Verified Official)