Cross Walks -- DPT Responds

Does DPT really share our concern about the faded crosswalks?

On the one hand, they say, "we have investigated the crosswalks on Cortland Avenue and agree that they are faded." However, the letter below indicates that this will not be dealth with until 2010.....

The letter below is a response I recieved to a request to re-paint the faded cross walks on Cortland, especially those between Gates and Bocana.
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Subject: Request for repainting of cross walks on Cortland Avenue in Bernal Heights
Date: Tue, 9 Aug 2005 12:01:30 -0700
From: "XXXXXXX"

Dear Mr. XXXXX,

This is in response to your email of July 27, 2005 regarding your request for repainting of the cross walks on Cortland Avenue. Thank you for your concern and interest in improving pedestrian safety in your community. DPT shares your concern in this area. We have investigated the crosswalks on Cortland Avenue and agree that they are faded. At this time we are not repainting them because currently Cortland Avenue between Coleridge Street and Peralta Street is under excavation for utility work. This work began June 6, 2005 and is scheduled for 120 days. After the utility work is completed Cortland Avenue is scheduled to be repaved beginning 7/1/2009. This is scheduled to last 150 days. DPT is not able to repaint the crosswalks at this time due to the underground utility work currently under construction.

Regarding your request to paint "ladder crosswalks", white ladder-style crosswalks are installed only at mid-block locations and generally at high pedestrian volumes crossing locations in front of hospitals or other major landmarks that attract pedestrians in large volumes. We evaluate requests for installing mid-block ladder crosswalks on a case by case basis. We want them to remain special emphasis markings. Yellow ladder-style crosswalks are generally painted within 600 feet of schools (K-12th grades only). This is in accordance with the State of California Vehicle Code Section 21368.

Motorists failing to yield the right of way to crossing pedestrians in crosswalks and failing to fully stop at Stop signs are San Francisco Police Department enforcement issues. We would encourage increased pedestrian safety enforcement along Cortland Avenue by the Police Department. By copy of this email we are referring this to the San Francisco Police Department Traffic Company. You also may contact the Traffic Company directly at 553.1625 or 553.1619.

Thank you for taking the initiative to work with us on these important traffic matters. If you have any further questions, please contact our Pedestrian Program Manager, Frank Markowitz, at 701-4442 or frank.markowitz@sfmta.com.

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XXXXX

Pedestrian Program Planner

Municipal Transportation Agency

1 South Van Ness, 3rd Floor

San Francisco, CA 94102-6033

415.701.4482

sam.fielding@sfmta.com

www.livablestreets.org

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