City's New Pedestrian Safety Initiative Includes Crossing Flags at Select Intersections

Image via The Expired Meter

The Chicago Department of Transportation Continues its "It's Up to You" program promoting pedestrian safety by installing street crossing flags at specific intersections.

The ten intersections are:

71st and Spaulding, near Tarkington Elementary School.
Central and Walton, near Brunson Elementary School.
Belmont and Kilpatrick, near a senior housing building.
93rd and Oglesby, near Trinity Hospital.
63rd and Talman, near a senior center.
50th and Cottage Grove, near Hales Franciscan High School.
Devon and Francisco, near the Croatian Cultural Center.
64th and Western, near Claremont Academy.
79th and Throop, near a senior housing building.
Elston, Grace and Bernard, near Murphy Elementary School

The initiative is the latest step in the program, which kicked off with the "One of 32" mannequin campaign where 32 mannequins decked in black were set up at points across the city to bring attention to the 32 pedestrian fatalities in Chicago last year.

Tribune transportation reporter John Hilkevitch writes that state law requires vehicles to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks. the 10 intersections were chosen because they're uncontrolled intersections near schools, hospitals and senior housing. Pedestrians looking to be more visible to motorists may use the flags, then place them in holders located at each end of the intersection.

It's a noble plan, but we suspect CDOT will be replacing a lot of stolen flags very soon.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@chicagoist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Chuck Sudo in News on December 12, 2011 4:55 PM 0 Comments

Comments [rss]

twocee

If they (the city or the state) was serious about protecting pedestrians, they would enforce existing laws. However, when I am almost hit in a crosswalk at a light with the walk sign by a city cop who decides to run it (no lights, no siren), I tend to question their seriousness.

States which actually enforce the regulation do many simple things to draw the motorist's attention to a crosswalk. Boulder, CO physically raises the crosswalk slightly so the motorist feels a bump when they go over it and the crosswalk is also marked with large signage and flashing lights when a pedestrian is detected. States like Maine and Washington put large permanent yellow safety-cone things in the middle of the road which indicates the presence of the crosswalk and notifies the driver that state law is to stop for pedestrians in the crosswalk. They are impossible to miss and they work extremely well (even in high tourist traffic areas where many drivers are from out of state and don't know the rule).

Considering the combination of how horrifically bad Illinoisances are at driving and the utter lack of simple traffic rules enforcement by the cops, as a pedestrian you are completely insane to cross a street and not take the responsibility on yourself to make sure the cars have stopped around you. A little orange flag isn't going to change anything.

High_n_Dry

"... Illinoisances..." I have never been more offended and impressed at that clever combination of words in my life, sir or madam.

The flag will make it more fun when stopping traffic, but none are in my area and I'd probably need to be drunk to enjoy it.

High_n_Dry

Obviously this is not meant to be THE solution to make idiot drivers stop at crosswalks for pedestrians. This is simply meant to bring awareness to the fact that idiot drivers don't stop at crosswalks for pedestrians. However, pedestrians need to be more aggressive at crosswalks and not wait for the 1 out of 20 courteous driver to stop for them.

Navin_Johnson

Hey, you may quickly be dead, but at least you had the moral/legal high ground.......

I don't even really blame cars, the city and the law has chosen to ignore this problem. These little stings once every year or whenever are quickly forgotten, if anybody else noticed them in the first place. If a driver stops for somebody to cross on North Ave. in my area, they'll have somebody: slam into their rear, cars behind them screeching and honking like crazy, cars dangerously swerving around them to pass the car yielding to the pedestrian.

High_n_Dry

The yearly stings are pointless, just a PR stunt for the city.

I personally don't wait for the one courteous driver but I also don't blindly walk in front of moving cars. Make eye contact to make sure they aren't texting then go for it. It is easy to tell if a driver isn't going to stop and that is when I suggest throwing Skittles at them. (Not M&M's or Reese's Pieces, only Skittles works for this!)

Even with the new "traffic calming" installation at Chicago and Hoyne, drivers still don't stop or even slow down for peds.

Shellster129

That's what they should put in buckets at the intersections: Skittles.

High_n_Dry

I'm going to submit a 311 service request for this.

ScooterLibbby

This was tried in Berkeley Cal. 15-20 years ago.
If it didn't work in Berserkeley, it won't work here!

Kelly Kaufmann

Umm if you grab a flag, stand at a corner looking at your cell phone, then step right in front of a car holding up the flag, the flag is not going to help. We seriously need to re-teach people how to look both ways before crossing a street. Of course cars have responsibilities as well, but pedestrians need to also remember the basics.

Judy Raddue

If a pedestrian is in a crosswalk, it is the vehicle driver's responsibility by law to fully stop and yield to the pedestrian. From my experience, especially during my AM/PM commutes, I feel lucky if a driver even bothers to fully brake for me; many swerve around me and most seem to believe it is my responsibility to yield to them. For the record, I do not walk - let alone drive - while talking on my phone.