"STOP & YIELD": Ann Arbor's New Pedestrian Law is the Strongest in Nation

via: Ann Arbor Chronicle

Thanks to Councilman Carsten Hohnke, Mayor Hiefje and the WBWC, Ann Arbor has a new pedestrian ordinance!

It is modeled after a Boulder, CO ordinance that has been successfully used for 21 years. But, Ann Arbor added unambiguous language requiring motorists to stop and yield to pedestrians. This gives Ann Arbor the strongest legal protection for pedestrians in the nation.

The old ordinance required pedestrians to physically walk in front of a vehicle in order to claim the right-of-way. The new ordinance removes the negotiation between walkers and motorizing rapidly moving steel and brings balance between the rights of drivers and pedestrians.

Before the change, it read:

[Old Language] 10:148. Pedestrians crossing streets.
(a) No pedestrian shall cross a street at a location other than at a crosswalk into which vehicle traffic is then restricted by a traffic control device unless such crossing may be done safely and without interfering with motor vehicle and bicycle traffic on that street.
(b) When traffic-control signals are not in place or are not in operation, the driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way, slowing down or stopping if need be to so yield, to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within a crosswalk when the pedestrian is on the half of the roadway on which the vehicle is traveling or when the pedestrian is approaching so closely from the opposite half of the roadway as to be in danger, but a pedestrian shall not suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into a path of a vehicle that is so close that it is impossible for the driver to yield.

The ordinance revision provides greater protection for pedestrians approaching crosswalks. The revision requires motorists to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians not just in crosswalks, but also approaching them. Previous language was stricken, which limited the requirement on motorists to yield only to pedestrians in the half of the roadway on which the vehicle is traveling.

In the course of deliberations, the “yield” language was strengthened to include “stop.” Additional language amended at the council table is in italics.

[New Language] 10:148. Pedestrians crossing streets.
(a) When traffic-control signals are not in place or are not in operation, the driver of a vehicle shall stop and yield the right-of-way to every pedestrian approaching or within a crosswalk.
(b) A pedestrian shall not suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into a path of a vehicle that is so close that it is impossible for the driver to yield.
(c) Every pedestrian crossing a roadway at any point other than within a marked crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway.

Roundabouts and Older Drivers

Typical circulating speeds in Clearwater's four one-lane roundabouts such as this one are 18 to 21 kph (11 to 13 mph), and typical approach speeds (measured at the crosswalks) are 23 to 26 kph (14 to 16 mph). Photo: Ken Sides, City of Clearwater, FL.

Of the many changes that come with age, the following are particularly relevant for drivers as they negotiate intersections: narrowing of the visual field and the area of visual attention; decreased visual sensitivity to motion; a decline in the abilities to filter out less important information and continuously refocus on what is the most critical information; a decline in the abilities to perform multiple tasks simultaneously and process information from multiple sources; a disproportional increase in perception- reaction time with increase in complexity of the driving situation; and loss of the head, neck, and trunk flexibility needed to rapidly scan an intersection.

In short, older drivers need more time to perceive and evaluate situations, more time to make decisions and take action, and simpler, narrower scenes to take in—all needs that are well served by the lower traffic speeds and less complex vehicle paths of roundabouts. Events play out more slowly at roundabouts, with ample time for all intersection users to anticipate and adjust to the movements of other vehicles and pedestrians. Vehicle/vehicle conflicts and vehicle/pedestrian conflicts are reduced by about three-quarters and two-thirds, respectively, in single-lane roundabouts, and to a somewhat lesser extent in multiple -lane roundabouts.

Roundabouts are less complicated than conventional intersections controlled by stop signs or traffic signals for several reasons: Traffic threats come from only one direction. Color-coded signal bulbs and ever-cycling phases normally are not used in roundabouts. And the approaching driver need only scan straight ahead for pedestrians and about 30 degrees to the left for slow-moving approaching circulating traffic. Above all, roundabouts eliminate the need to judge gaps in fast head-on opposing traffic. Because older persons are more fragile, crash severity is especially significant. Roundabouts, intrinsically by design, limit vehicle speeds on entry and in the circulating lane. Roundabouts also separate opposing vehicle paths, thereby virtually eliminating the most serious types of crashes that occur at conventional intersections: head-on, left-turn, T-bone, and red-light running. Crashes that do occur at roundabouts tend to be either rear-end crashes or else low-angle, low-energy merging crashes with low closing speeds of 8 to 16 kilometers per hour, kph (5 to 10 miles per hour, mph). Because kinetic energy increases exponentially with velocity, roundabout crashes dissipate far less energy than those severe crash types at conventional intersections: right angles with closing speeds of 56 to 89 kph (35 to 55 mph) or head-on crashes with closing speeds of 113 to 177 kph (70 to 110 mph).

According to ongoing studies from FHWA and the National Cooperative Highway Research Program, roundabout injury crashes are reduced about 75 percent and fatalities by 90 percent or more compared with those at conventional intersections.

—Ken Sides, City of Clearwater, FL

Clearwater, FL, has the highest proportion of population aged 65 or older of any U.S. city with populations of 100,000 or more. Clearwater has built five roundabouts and has seven currently in design and five more in the pipeline, for a total of seventeen. All but the first one were proposed by—and strongly supported by —residents.

Cars Drive Through A2 Crosswalks with Impunity: WATCH VIDEO

Today we emailed Ann Arbor's City Attorney to get his legal opinion on whether the people in this video have the right-of-way according to Ann Arbor law. Three cars drive through the intersection while the men are walking through the crosswalk at Seventh St. at Washington.

Clearly, the City's pedestrian right-of-way ordinance needs to be re-written to match something similar to what the City of Boulder has. Pedestrians should be given absolute right-of-way. Anything less gives only the illusion of safety. Only absolute right-of-way creates the peace of mind which allows for walkable streets and a sustainable community.