Last October, Sumner Cherberg stood in the middle of Greenwood Avenue North and held up traffic for 30 minutes, while holding a sign that protested cars not stopping for pedestrians. Cherberg was arrested and held in jail overnight.
"I was cuffed, taken to the North Precinct, fingerprinted, photographed and put in jail clothes," he said.
Cherberg explained he was trying to do something to help the elderly, the disabled, and other people who have a difficult time crossing the street safely. "I have a feeling that the city doesn't care about people," he said.
Nonstopping traffic
Cherberg, 79, has been working for three years to get a push-button signal light on Greenwood Avenue North between North 75th and 76th streets. He has collected more than 100 signatures from Seattle residents, but the city maintains that there is not enough traffic flow to warrant the signal.
Cherberg said that cars do not stop for pedestrians along Greenwood Avenue, and that it is a dangerous situation for people.
"There are hit-and-runs all over the city. Sooner or later, it is going to happen to me - unless there is a push-button light," he said.
Cherberg said that while the law requires vehicles to stop for pedestrians even if there is no crosswalk, most cars do not stop. Disabled and elderly people have difficulty walking to the closest crosswalk on 80th Street, he said.
Cherberg claims that he has even been sworn at and given the finger on numerous occasions while trying to cross.
Doesn't meet criteria
Cherberg sent Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) his petition for a push-button signal in early 2002. SDOT director Grace Crunican wrote Cherberg in March of that year, stating that while Greenwood Avenue is a heavily traveled arterial street, neither the 75th or 76th street locations meet the city's criteria for a pedestrian traffic signal.
Loren Raynes, traffic-signal shop manager at SDOT, said that the city has taken many steps to increase pedestrian safety. He said that the city first evaluated the Greenwood and 76th location in 2000 and recently re-evaluated the location.
"The criteria that we have for installing pedestrian traffic signals are based on traffic volumes, gaps in traffic and distance between signals. We also look at pedestrian generators such as retirement homes, community centers, parks and other things that would generate a lot of pedestrian activity," Raynes said.
Raynes added that Greenwood changed from a four-lane street, with two northbound and two southbound lanes, to a three-lane street, with one northbound, one southbound and one turn lane.
The change has decreased traffic and speed along Greenwood Avenue, he said, with the average speed of cars decreasing by 5 m.p.h., he said.
Raynes said that the city has installed additional streetlights at Cherberg's request to make crossing even safer for pedestrians.
Stop-gap measures
In 2004, the city responded to Cherberg's campaign by installing a median island at Greenwood and 76th Street. According to a letter to Cherberg from pedestrian-safety specialist Megan Hoyt, the island allows pedestrians to make the crossing in two parts: The median island in the center lane functions as a refuge for pedestrians, so that they can look for gaps in traffic for one lane of travel at a time.
Cherberg feels that the installation of the median island was a waste of time. "I begged and pleaded for them not to build the island - it is a waste of taxpayers' money. Cars coming out of the east and west streets will still not stop for pedestrians," he said.
Cherberg also feels that the city delayed responding to his complaints, saying that he tried to contact Hoyt more than six times over the telephone and did not get a response until he filed a formal complaint with the city.
"I understand that they have guidelines, but I don't understand that if you have an issue with something, they don't follow through with you," Cherberg said.
Cherberg said that he will persevere until the city does something more to help the situation. "They have admitted to me that I am right, but say there is nothing to do about their guidelines," he said.
[[In-content Ad]]
