4 ms·
Downtown Seattle can be a real pain to drive through at certain times of the day. Only a handful of cars can turn right at any given intersection because of the
by pacaro 9y ago
Downtown Seattle can be a real pain to drive through at certain times of the day. Only a handful of cars can turn right at any given intersection because of the solid wall of pedestrians crossing.
In the U.K. it is normal to have specific phases of the signal on which pedestrians can cross, and other phases on which cars can turn, so there is never a phase when pedestrians and vehicles are competing for the same space.
- mikestew 9y agoDowntown Seattle can be a real pain to drive through at certain times of the day. Only a handful of cars can turn right at any given intersection because of the solid wall of pedestrians crossing. When I worked downtown, that used to drive me batty, if only because there is such an easy and ready solution. I realize reprogramming traffic lights isn't exactly free, but I can't see it being so expensive that it just isn't done. Last I worked downtown was probably five years ago. The fact that this still goes on should be the basis for firing a whole department. Across the lake in Redmond, the lights have the designated ped crosswalk light that lets the peds go first. But it counts down, then before the traffic light goes red there is a green period when the ped crosswalk light is red. IOW, the cars get a chance to turn sans pedestrians before it goes red.
- smilekzs 9y agoAs an Eastsider, I am mostly confused by the countless "left/right turn only" panic lane shuffles in Seattle. And also street parking.
- revelation 9y agoIf there is a "solid wall of pedestrians" crossing it probably means that the modal share doesn't support allocating 70% of space to minority cars and crumbles to pedestrians.
- ithought 9y agoThis problem is excruciating in West LA which made me think building crosswalk tunnels could have a substantial effect. There's a few of these crosswalk tunnels in Westwood.
- cakedoggie 9y agoOr how about just forcing cars around these busy intersections. When there is too many people, they should just ban cars from these areas.
- sgc 9y agoCrosswalk tunnels tend to be dirty (urine etc.) and can be dangerous. I don't think they are an ideal solution for a city like LA.
- kalleboo 9y agoHow about crosswalk bridges? These are common here in Japan. http://photos.wikimapia.org/p/00/03/29/24/45_big.jpg http://photos.wikimapia.org/p/00/03/29/24/45_big.jpg
- icebraining 9y agoIt's often hard to make them accessible, though :(
- MereInterest 9y agoAgreed. Not only that, but if they are accessible, the ramps can add another 100 yards of walking or so. I timed it out once, and a full cycle of the lights occurred during the time that it took to cross the ramp.
- undersuit 9y agoI used to use a pedestrian bridge that had a circular ramp to get up both sides and an elevator. The elevator needed a key though, so I guess you did have to know where and how to get the key if you need to use the elevator.
- kaybe 9y agoAlso, the constant stairs are a huge annoyance when you walk the city, especially if you have heavy things or any kind of wheeled thing with you. (And it also holds for ramps.)
- roywiggins 9y agoDoesn't Pike Place Market have a scramble crossing? I seem to remember one.
- jfktrey 9y agoYep! Right where Pike runs into 1st Ave.
- cakedoggie 9y agoAs it should be. You shouldn't even be driving through downtown during the day.