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Prince Avenue provides an excellent example
of the prevailing traffic paradigm – to move cars as rapidly
as possible with little consideration for cyclists and pedestrians. The
rounded curve at Prince at Pulaski (pictured
above) and existing crosswalk placement are intended to
move cars. There is no crosswalk on the west side of the intersection
because ACC Transportation and Public Works has an unwritten
policy to not put crosswalks where there is a high volume of
turning vehicles. To get from St Joseph’s to First Baptist,
pedestrians would be required to cross three streets, one of
which is the same corner you were steered from to begin with,
where cars are still being funneled through as quickly as possible.


For maximum safety, cars entering
or leaving side streets should be required to make a full stop.
Requiring motorists to come to a full stop decreases speed and therefore increases
pedestrian and cyclist safety. 45-degree turns such as Prince
at Meigs (pictured above left) are designed in a way that encourages
rolling stops (leaving Meigs) as well as sudden acceleration (entering Meigs).
The latter could be tragic for the unnoticed pedestrian crossing Meigs. Making
Prince at Meigs a 90-degree turn would discourage both types of behavior. Crosswalks
would also enhance pedestrian safety by clearly delineating where cars should
stop and why. Both of these measures have been taken at Prince
at Hill (pictured above right). It should be noted that Prince at Hill
could be improved, as it is effectively less than 90-degrees.
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