Crosswalk safety on local panel's agenda

By RON LARSEN

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM--City Manager Brian Gramentz asked the New Ulm Safety Council to come up with ideas for improving pedestrian safety in New Ulm's crosswalks.

The council, in considering his request at its March meeting Thursday, decided to ask that a digital "count-down" timer be installed on the traffic signal at the intersection of Center and Payne streets. It would be the same type of timer recently installed by Minnesota Department of Transportation at Center and Broadway.

MnDOT also has announced plans to upgrade the current signals between Center and Garden streets with LED displays which are brighter and more easily recognized.

"Since the city has control of only one signaled intersection, there's not a whole lot we can do," said City Engineer Steve Koehler, a non-voting member of the council.

New Ulm has eight signaled intersections, seven of which are on Broadway and under MnDOT control. The only city-controlled traffic signal is at the one at Center and Payne streets, Koehler said.

Police Chief Howard Zins volunteered to set up an educational program which could be presented in schools and before community groups to promote greater pedestrian/crosswalk safety.

Gramentz included examples of how large cities like Salt Lake City and smaller communities like New Prague handle crosswalk safety. Most examples related to signaled intersection crosswalks.

Gramentz related his observations on a recent trip to Salt Lake City.

"At intersections, the word 'LOOK' was applied, imbedded, into the asphalt pavement. The word was approximately 18-24 inches in height and 3-4 feet long," he said.

Pedestrian crosswalks at signaled intersections "had audio tones (bird sounds) to alert pedestrians when it was safe to walk in addition to the walk sign and timer," he said.

Their walk signs had the visual "count-down" timers like the one recently installed by Minnesota Department of Transportation at the intersection of Center and Broadway streets.

"Non-controlled crosswalks had orange flags (18x18 inch flag with 36-inch handle) available in containers on both sides of the roadway. Pedestrians would pick up a flag and extend it into the street alerting traffic to stop and let them cross. Vehicles would immediately stop for the pedestrians. Once across the street, the flag was put back into a flag container."

However, Gramentz said city officials reported they lost 5,000 flags the first month and were still losing them at a rate of 100 per month.

In New Prague, Gramentz said, the city has placed yellow plastic, weighted signs 36-48 inches high and 8-10 inches wide at pedestrian crossings. The signs remind motorists pedestrians have the right-of-way and quote the appropriate state statute, Gramentz said.

Gramentz also enclosed a brochure outlining a Minnesota Safety Council grant program focusing on pedestrian/crosswalk safety. He urged the council "to consider submitting a project on behalf of the pedestrians of New Ulm."