I wonder if it is this simple. Perhaps most drivers will learn to ignore the crosswalk, but not all. Eventually someone will notice a crossing pedestrian and th

I wonder if it is this simple. Perhaps most drivers will learn to ignore the crosswalk, but not all. Eventually someone will notice a crossing pedestrian and they will be more likely to stop when there is painted crosswalk, adding convenience for pedestrians. There is also the reverse perspective your local government failed to consider. If drivers get complacent and ignore potential pedestrians so will pedestrians learn to recognize that drivers might not stop and cross with added awareness (I actually live by one such crosswalk). In addition there might be a risk factor of forcing pedestrians to learn the lesson that it is OK to cross on unmarked locations. Your initial no-brainer might have been wrong, but your local official’s explanation sounds equally malinformed.