[Vision2020] Pedestrians in Peril

[Wayne Price]

Tom,

While I agree that there is an increase of foot traffic (pedestrians),  
does that necessarily  mean that additional "safety" measures need to  
be provided by the state/city?

The article points out that people are CHOOSING to cross at other than  
safe, designated areas, is that a reason to spend tax payer dollars?   
What about putting out a Moscow Police car for a few days and write  
tickets for the
pedestrians that violate the law and are causing the problem?

And someone in public office had to issue the permits for "The Grove"  
to be built., so where were the additional safety measures that should  
have been mandated to the owners of "The Grove"  to provide for the  
additional pedestrian traffic? Here is an example of a private company  
building and making money off of the 192 housing units, and now,  
because they weren't required to provide additional safety measures,  
they want the tax payers of the city/state to pay for them.  And who  
from local government was responsible for putting those requirements  
on the builders/owners, and didn't?


Think of that in NOVEMBER.




-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Courtesy of today's (September 7, 2009) Moscow-Pullman Daily News.
>
> --------------------------------------------------------
>
> Pedestrians in peril?
> Moscow, ITD taking a close look at recent changes on U.S. Highway 95  
> south
> By Mark Williams Daily News staff writer
> September 7, 2009
>
> City of Moscow and Idaho Department of Transportation officials are
> studying a section of U.S. Highway 95 south now that an influx of  
> foot and
> vehicle traffic has settled into the area.
>
> Two long-expected developments have come to fruition in recent weeks  
> that
> could pose potential traffic hazards for the section of highway  
> between
> Palouse River Drive and the Styner/Lauder Avenue intersection.
>
> The Grove, a 192-unit student housing development, opened the first  
> half
> of its planned development to students in late August for the start  
> of the
> new school year. Also, about 70 children began attending the new  
> Palouse
> Prairie School of Expeditionary Learning on Wednesday at the former
> Brown's Furniture building at the highway's intersection with Lauder
> Avenue.
>
> Both have added additional foot traffic to a section of town that many
> Moscow residents have long complained needs some kind of safety  
> measure
> taken.
>
> Moscow Public Works Director Les MacDonald said he has heard only a  
> few
> complaints thus far.
>
> One concern is about college students jaywalking across the highway  
> from
> the Grove, which similar to the situation that used to occur on  
> Pullman
> Road at the Peterson Drive intersection.
>
> MacDonald said the city is conducting a pedestrian study - expected  
> to be
> wrapped up in the coming weeks - that will provide a better idea of  
> what -
> if any - action it will request ITD make.
>
> "I've had one or two comments about the college kids," MacDonald said.
> "The (charter) school has crossing guards as part of their operation  
> and
> we have been talking to ITD about putting in an overhead pedestrian  
> signal
> at that intersection like we have at Peterson Drive."
>
> ITD District 2 Engineer Jim Carpenter said the state is waiting to  
> see the
> result of the city's study before making any commitments.
>
> He feels confident Palouse Prairie already is taking the best course  
> of
> action by having adult crossing guards posted at the intersection  
> before
> and after school. The requirement was written into the school's
> conditional use permit from the city. The area is not designated a  
> school
> zone, however, and the speed limit for the section is 35 mph rather  
> than
> the 20 mph typically mandated in school zones.
>
> "For kids that age the best possible thing you can do is have trained
> adults there," Carpenter said. "That's going to provide much more  
> safety
> than any electronic system ever will be able to."
>
> Carpenter also was reluctant to commit to a Peterson Drive-like  
> overhead
> alert system for the Styner/Lauder intersection because he said the  
> two
> scenarios are different.
>
> The Peterson Drive situation was difficult because there were long
> stretches of highway in both directions that offered no crossing
> alternatives, he said. In the Grove scenario, all of the students are
> headed in the same direction and have an opportunity to cross at the
> stoplight at Sweet Avenue to reach campus.
>
> "That's why we need to look at how the patterns are developing," he  
> said.
> "If it does turn out that there is a common spot where students are
> crossing then that's something we'll have to look at."
>
> -------------
>
> A pedestrian crosses south Main Street in Moscow between the  
> University of
> Idaho and The Grove apartments on Friday.
> (Photo courtesy: Geoff Crimmins/Daily News)
>
> http://www.dnews.com/images/4071241.jpg
>
> -------------
>
> Palouse Prairie School crossing guards Nils Peterson, left, and Chris
> Lapaglia stop traffic at the intersection of south Main Street at  
> Styner
> Avenue in Moscow after school on Friday. (Below) a bicyclist crosses  
> south
> Main Street.
> (Photo courtesy: Geoff Crimmins/Daily News)
>
> http://www.dnews.com/images/4071243.jpg
>
> -------------
>
> A bicyclist crosses south Main Street at the intersection with Styner
> Avenue in Moscow on Friday.
> (Photo courtesy: Geoff Crimmins/Daily News)
>
> http://www.dnews.com/images/4071242.jpg
>
> --------------------------------------------------------
>
> Seeya round town, Moscow.
>
> Tom Hansen
> Moscow, Idaho
>
> "The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to  
> change
> and the Realist adjusts his sails."
>
> - Unknown
>
>
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