Crosswalk Compliance Studies

Public Works conducts quarterly crosswalk compliance assessments to help raise awareness about pedestrian safety and to identify areas of concern and improvement.

The assessment, performed by Public Works Traffic Operations division since 2017, evaluates driver compliance at six crosswalk sites with similar traffic speeds and characteristics. Two locations are studied every quarter as a control group. The remaining sites are selected from each of the four City Council zones. Results from each location are averaged to produce a snapshot of driver compliance across town. Results of the assessment are posted on a two educational boards, located at the intersection of Campbell & Walnut Lawn and Glenstone & Division.

How are assessments performed?

Public Works Traffic Operations staff stages crosswalk compliance assessments at either mid-block or two-way stop intersections with a clearly marked crosswalk. A staff member poses as a crossing pedestrian, timing their approach to the crosswalk so he or she stops at the edge of the street when an approaching motorist is a safe stopping distance away (about 200 feet). The pedestrian subject places one foot in the roadway or bike lane and makes eye contact with the on-coming motorist, clearly demonstrating their intent to cross as is stipulated by City ordinance. Staff then keep a count of how many drivers yield or do not yield to the test pedestrian. Each site is assessed for roughly an hour, tallying the behavior of between 100 and 150 drivers.