Description
I've heard of and seen several people almost hit bit cars crossing Dutton St. to follow Market St. When pedestrians get a walk signal (only 11 seconds and no audio) cars coming from either side of Market can turn in to the crosswalk. The intersection is so dark that drivers don't see people. If it's only a 11 second walk signal, stopping the traffic going through the crosswalk seems safer. With new galleries, stores and studios going in to 307 Market there is more pedestrian traffic, but people don't feel safe crossing Dutton because of this intersection.
12 Comments
Acknowledged Kristen Fratus (Registered User)
Reported to LPD.
Kristen
Office of the City Manager
Paulumba (Registered User)
Craig H (Registered User)
Kristen Fratus (Registered User)
Eric Eby (Registered User)
The pedestrian timing is adequate and in compliance with the latest federal requirements. There are 5 seconds of green Walk time plus 11 seconds of flashing Dont Walk time. While the 11 seconds of flashing Don't Walk time is not sufficient on its own to cross Dutton Street, there is an additional 5 seconds available to pedestrians after the countdown ends and before traffic starts to move on Dutton Street. These 5 seconds are comprised of the 3 seconds of yellow and 2 seconds of red time for Market Street traffic. While this 5 seconds of additional time has been built in as a safety buffer, I will check to see if the flashing don't walk can be made to extend through the first 2 seconds. This would extend the flashing don't walk to 13 seconds which is sufficient by itself to cross Dutton, but would reduce the safety buffer to 3 seconds.
The bigger problem at this intersection is the failure of turning vehicles to yield to pedestrians who are legally crossing in the crosswalks. While there are signs posted stating Yield To Pedestrians On Turns, many drivers don't pay attention to the signs or are ignorant of this basic rule of the road. This becomes a matter of education and enforcement by police. I will ask the police to take notice of this situation.
There are street lights on both sides of Dutton Street, but on the old Merrimack Rug store side the street lights can not be placed at the intersection due to the overhanging canopy. I will check with our DPW to see if any lights can be added to reduce the darkness at the intersection.
jkgavin (Registered User)
Craig H (Registered User)
Craig H (Registered User)
Eric Eby (Registered User)
The comments regarding the volume of left turns from Market onto Dutton, and the short amount of green time for this movement are well taken. While additional green time may indeed be warranted, it would impact the existing coordination of the signals along Dutton Street during the peak periods. We may be able to increase the green time for Market Street outside of the peak periods, but changes to the peak period timings would also require retiming the other signals along Dutton to keep the coordination in effect. I will look into this and make whatever changes are possible.
Closed City of Lowell (Registered User)
Reopened Craig H (Registered User)
Acknowledged Conor Baldwin (Registered User)