When it comes to measuring danger, there's attempting Everest, there's racing stock cars and there's attempting the crosswalk at West Mercer Street and Warren Avenue North.
Each of them can be lethal at a moment's notice. Sit in front of Caffe Zingaro in the middle of the day and see for yourself. Invariably, pedestrians making their way to grab some lunch at Metropolitan Market, or returning to the Pacific Northwest Ballet or Seattle Center, navigate the crosswalk with trepidation.
They put their toes out there, as if testing water temperature and wait for that essential eye contact with people behind the wheels of cars and trucks zooming toward Interstate 5.
More ofen than not, cars and trucks rumble by the pedestrians. And should one car stop, the pedestrian is still not out of danger. Vehicles in the far lane often don't see the pedestrian walking and pass by their faces. And when they do see the walkers, it's often at the last minute and tires screech against the pavement.
"Cars just blow through here," said Clayton Defrate, a designer for Pacific Science Center. "I usually end up just forcing my way across the street."
Defrate's workmate, Justine Edge, who was crossing with him and another workmate, Shirley Hendrickson, said she often feels invisible at that crosswalk. "You have to make serious eye contact," she said, lest the worst happen.
However, Hendrickson added that amid all the cars and trucks that don't stop, it's the FedEx and UPS trucks and all the other delivery-type vehicles that invariably stop.
James Ly has owned Zingaro's for a few years and he has heard and seen near misses every day. It's so pervasive that he said police officers taking a break inside just sit and watch all of it.
"It's ridiculous," Ly said. "That intersection needs a light because we see close calls every day." He said he's seen vehicle vs. vehicle accidents there but thankfully not a vehicle vs. pedestrian yet. "One of these days it's going to catch up to them before a fatality happens," he added.
The Seattle Department of Transportation's Richard Sheridan said there has been one vehicle/pedestrian accident in the crosswalk in the last five years, and that was last February. It was not a fatality.
In 2003, employees at the Seattle Repertory Theatre had lodged a number of complaints about the crosswalk and so the city made upgrades: Increased signage, lighting and striping.
Sheridan had engineers check out the crosswalk last week and they reported to him that the intersection was well striped, that there was restricted parking which allowed clear sight lines.
"So there's a lot of elements that make it safe," he said.
That said, SDOT is planning upgrades at multiple crosswalks throughout the city. The department will add a stop line and a sign that says "Stop here for pedestrians" at the Mercer/Warren crosswalk.
"By adding a stop line and a sign, we think that will be another visual cue," for motorists, Sheridan said. "It's one of the new ways we address crosswalks in the city, so this is one of several getting this treatment."
In related crosswalk news, you may have seen a few crosswalks in the city equipped with flags at each end for pedestrians to carry as they cross.
The test program initiated by the City Council which began this summer, is still in effect. Each costs roughly $3,000 and doesn't include labor or maintenance. So far so good, according to SDOT.
The department is still assessing how effective they are. The department has set up 15 locations at heavy arterials and residential locations mainly East of Interstate 5.
In some locations, the flags have been stolen and SDOT crews have had to go out and replace them. So far, SDOT has had to replace 698 flags at $8.50 a pop. Theft will be a factor as SDOT evaluates by the end of the year the pilot project's sustainability and improvements to safety.[[In-content Ad]]
