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Editorial |
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Make the courtsquare safe Nov. 9 - Anyone familiar with Lincolnton’s downtown traffic circle knows it’s a nightmare to cross. Motorists are supposed to stop for crossing pedestrians, but it’s not something most people expect. They usually await a go-ahead wave from the driver before even attempting to make a crossing. County Commissioner Beth Saine raised the safety issue at a meeting Monday at the board meeting. Shouldn’t something more be done to make the crosswalks safer? Her concern was prompted by an accident last week in which a sheriff’s deputy was struck by an SUV and seriously injured his leg while crossing the traffic circle. We agree with Saine’s observation that when you cross that traffic circle you take your life into your hands. Motorists either don’t know they have to stop and yield the right-of-way to pedestrians, or they are ignoring that obligation. Making the crosswalks more visible to motorists is a place to start. A recent University of North Carolina study on bike and pedestrian safety in Lincolnton suggested using crosswalks with bold, ladder-style markings or different pavement materials, textures or colors more visible to motorists. The study also offers a suggestion: a safety sign showing a pedestrian walking and saying: State Law, Yield to pedestrians in crosswalks. These signs could be posted at the major entrances to the circle. The city should also consider reducing the number (there are nine) of crosswalks in the circle. Lincolnton is proud of the courtsquare. It is a landmark for downtown and is often used on as a representative symbol of our city. It should be pedestrian-friendly. The city should also take a close look at the confusing patterns on the traffic circle. It seems too small to have six different streets funneling traffic that must then jockey for the correct lane. City officials may want to consider a long-term project that could reroute some of those thoroughfares. Parking is also a problem on the circle, and in the general downtown area. Backing out of a space in the traffic circle is a difficult and sometimes dangerous proposition. One of the goals of downtown development is to attract people to the downtown area and that means providing ample parking. That should be assessed along with other long-term goals for downtown. The immediate need is providing safe crossings around the courtsquare. We hope the city will make this a top priority during the coming months.
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© 2001 Lincoln Times-News |
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