Pedestrian Crossings; be all in.

Pedestrian safety is rising in the conscience of everyone. More people are walking in and biking in urban areas and the transportation agencies are becoming more sensitive to their needs. Bike paths, cycle tracts, wider sidewalks and a variety of innovations are being found along public streets and highways. Soon delivery robots will need accommodation. Of course, local standards need to be consulted.

The Marco Island crossing caught my attention with the flashing lights in the crosswalk pavement. It struck me as a serious attempt to accommodate pedestrians by giving them a priority, by making their presence highly observable to vehicular traffic and by expressing a serious concern for pedestrian safety.

Minimum facilities like a flashing light on the side of the street when activated give a misleading sense of safety and priority to the pedestrian while not capturing the attention of the vehicle driver. The approach seems to be all or nothing since nothing keeps the pedestrian on alert.

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