The diagonal crosswalk from City Hall Place to the entrance to the PARC Park across the street and the ramp leading to the municipal parking lot at 325 Columbia Street has always had a special place in my heart. That's because I played a role in making it happen.
Back when I was on the Common Council (2006-2009), the late Christina Malisoff, who at that time was working at the Hudson Opera House (now Hudson Hall), would tell me whenever our paths crossed how much a crosswalk was needed in front of the Opera House. She had witnessed a visitor to Hudson leave the Opera House, walk into the street, and be hit by a car. I tried to make the crosswalk happen by appealing to then chief of police Ellis Richardson, but he dismissed the idea, arguing that the progress of drivers making their way up and down Warren Street would be impeded by having to stop for a crosswalk. Fortunately, before my time in office was over, I learned that the way to make it happen was to ask Rob Perry. The crosswalk was installed in 2009.
Alas, our unusual diagonal crosswalk is soon to be obliterated. At the Public Works Board meeting last Thursday, mayor's aide and ADA coordinator Justin Weaver reported that, because the diagonal crosswalk has no curb ramps, it will be eliminated and replaced by a crosswalk that will go straight across Warren Street from the east side of City Hall Place.
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The new crosswalk, if and when it appears, should also include a pedestrian-activated flashing signal on both sides, like the types at Warren & Park Place and elsewhere. Any crosswalk at an intersection (or no intersection) without stop signs or a traffic light are extremely dangerous. The crosswalk itself will not tell drivers to stop before someone enters the street to cross. Only a flashing signal can help.
ReplyDeleteThere used to be an on-street BEWARE OF PEDESTRIANS sign in the middle of the existing Opera House crosswalk, at least for a year or two. It got hit so often by passing cars that Rob Perry decided against it.