The awesome power of DE

I've written in the past about the issue of crossing Roxboro St. to get to Duke Park. The combination of NCDOT widening Roxboro to 7 lanes just north of Knox St., and the city installing one of the most modern playground spaces in the region at the park creates a major safety concern for parents who'd like to walk their kids from the east side of Roxboro St. over to the park to play. It's also not that great for joggers, dog walkers, or anyone else who likes to simply get around the neighborhood on foot.

Getting the crosswalk striped last year was a great first step. Although many drivers remain unaware of it, state law does require that they yield to a pedestrian in a marked crosswalk.

One of the additional features we've asked for was a pedestrian activated signal that would alert drivers to the presence of someone crossing the street. We got that this week. Now, when you're at the corner with the dog and the kids in the stroller, you can push this button,
and this light will start flashing for about 30 seconds while you cross.

Whether or not drivers will stop for you remains to be seen. I'd still love to see signage at the intersection reminding drivers of the law. But for now, i really need to thank Phil Loziuk and Mark Ahrendsen of the city's Transportation Department for staying with this project. I know that NCDOT, which has operational control of Roxboro St. because of its business 15/501 designation, has resisted most efforts to prioritize pedestrian safety on the road. So kudos to Mark and Phil for this installation.