Diagonal crossings, fewer right on reds could give pedestrians a leg up

[Ralph Wiggum]

Fewer downtown corners where motorists can turn right on red. A hundred dangerous intersections where pedestrians get a three-to-five-second jump before the light for cars turns green.  Intersections where vehicular traffic is stopped for 14 seconds every other light cycle to give pedestrians a chance to cross in every direction, including diagonally.

Those innovative ideas — along with narrower streets and slower speed limits — may soon be coming to downtown Chicago to level a playing field that, newly appointed Transportation Commissioner Gabe Klein maintains, has put pedestrians at a “distinct disadvantage.”

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“We’d like to put in leading pedestrian intervals at over 100 intersections, particularly the most dangerous. As soon as the light turns green, cars hit the gas. This way, the light stays red and the pedestrian countdown will start three-to-five seconds before the light for traffic turns green.”

Klein also wants to get rid of what he calls “unnecessary” right- and left-turns-on-red that “put pedestrians at risk,” adding, “The more turns you have, the more conflicts you produce. We understand that people need to turn [right on red]. But, they don’t necessarily need to turn at every intersection.”

LINK

[true_blood]

Where else but Chicago? Who needs to turn at intersections after all?
Liberalism, the mental disorder.

[Chris_]

You think Chicago is bad?  Check out Manhattan.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_upshot/20110610/od_yblog_upshot/3-way-street-artist-video-tracks-scary-traffic