Kent considers getting rid of crosswalks to make more crosswalks
Jun 21, 2016, 6:09 AM
A crosswalk with a button for traffic. (Chris Sullivan, KIRO Radio)
(Chris Sullivan, KIRO Radio)
Small cities around the Puget Sound are dealing with growing pains. But what do you do when your growth outpaces your infrastructure? Kent leaders are trying to find an answer.
“The city has grown drastically over the years, with annexations and whatnot, so conditions have changed,” said Kelly Peterson, Kent’s special projects, and transportation manager. “We’ve had increased volumes, we’ve had roads widened, and we want to make sure that crosswalks throughout the city are safe for pedestrians.”
Related: What’s the deal with Lynnwood’s new traffic signals?
Peterson said the city is preparing a major upgrade to its crosswalk system.
“We would be proposing to eliminate markings on some crosswalks,” Peterson said. “The crosswalks would still be there, it’s just the markings (that would be gone). With this policy, there would be another 61 locations that would be marked.”
You might wonder why you would get rid of the markings at some spots. Peterson says they no longer meet the federal guidelines for a crosswalk unless they were to get lights or other traffic controls.
“Just by marking a crosswalk doesn’t necessarily make it safer. In fact, it can actually make it less safe,” Peterson said. “People have this sense of safety because the crosswalk is there, they think people are going to stop — particularly if it’s uncontrolled, meaning there is not a stop sign or a signal.”
The City of Kent is considering upgrading its crosswalks by removing the markings for other crosswalks.
Under the plan, 47 marked crosswalks would become unmarked. There are more than 700 crosswalks — marked and unmarked — in the city. Most of the changes would be around the downtown core. There will be public meetings and then a full council vote before any changes can go forward.
The plan so far is to add markings to all traffic signals and add them at stop signs where appropriate.
“Some of the locations proposed for removal could have a marked crosswalk there but we need additional safety measures,” Peterson said. “Those could be some signage or some flashing lights.”
Kent just added its first flashing light crosswalk on Kent-Kangley Road near 104th Street.
