| Show Hour 24 Hour Pedestrian Traffic Protection Urged r OFFICIAL OFFICIAL RAPS RAPS HAPHAZARD USE OF NIGHT SIGNS Safety Program Rev Reverts to Miss Hit-and-Miss I Situation V By BOB HALE Demands for continuous hour 24 protection for pedestrians in downtown downtown downtown down down- town Salt Lake traffic came Thursday Thursday Thurs Thurs- day with disclosures that pedestrian pedestrian pedestrian trian control has reverted to the miss hit-and-miss situation of ot a few mont months s ago ago Noting that pedestrians using crosswalks have no protection protection protection pro pro- at night although th the law aw gives give them right of way at all times Fire Chief Walter S. S Knight city traffic safety ty manager said that he would move for for use of 01 signs in these lanes after dark More Ioro Problems Meanwhile a survey showed that lack of pedestrian protection at night is not the only problem As was the case a few months ago before the police department began a spasmodic program of bEtter better better bet bet- ter maintenance of lanes crosswalks were not furnished with wilh protection in daytime in several cases eases V Despite the fact that Rufus G. G Jasper National Safety council traffic engineer engine r w warned against spasmodic and Intermittent traffic safety efforts pedestrian control is in just that class classi the survey Thursday disclosed Signs warning motorists to lo stop slop at lanes when pedestrians are arc using them are placed in only a few of the downtown lanes nd V even th these se are removed at night leaving no warning for the motor motor- 1st V Auto Hazards Police have maintained that the signs not now are hazards to automobiles at night and and- and so so are removed after dark dark Yet no move has been made to tomake tomake tomake make them visible at night by re- re them V These signs are not obstructions obstructions Chief Knight said If they dm can be used in daytime they certainly certainly eer- eer can be used just as well wen at night if they are made visible by Its It's just as easy casy or easier to strike a pedestrian as a sign Ign Chief Knight said he would propose propose pro pro- pose the to lo the traffic commissions commission's engin engineering ering committee for the next commission commission commis commis- sion aba m meeting slated Tuesday y Clyde Clyd L. L Van member of the commission agreed that pedestrians pedestrians pedestrians pe pe- pe- pe should be at all times since they have right of way at all times at designated cross cross- ings He opposed Intermittent enforcement enforcement enforcement en en- and said enforcement should be continuous Julian M M. Bamberger another member also was in accord with the belief bellet that protection should be given the pedestrian at all times Opp Opposed sed however to use of mid- mid block lanes at night time was B B.C. B.C. B. B C. C J. J commission mem mem- ber her V T These ese lanes arc only for the benefit of ot retail merchants merchant and in my opinion should be used uS d dony only ony during shopping h hours he said sad Unnecessary m lUsk k He said he r regarded g th their lr use lS outside of business hours as an unnecessary unnecessary unnecessary un necessary hazard Despite the fact that on last JanUary JanUary January Jan Jan- uary 17 the traffic commission r referred re referred re- re to the police department a request that signs be placed in all lanes downtown no action action action ac ac- ac- ac tion has been beeg taken and only part of the lanes now are so protected protect d Thursdays Thursday's survey showed Particularly bad is the situation on Second South street between en Main and State Stale streets The street is newly resurfaced No lanes are are Continued d on Pane Pact TI Twenty six nt ADDED TRAFFIC CONTROL ASKED Continued Fro Lot al l Pa painted across th the street where the lane is la suppo supposed d to be and no warning sign stands in the street md It Ins Itis is impossible for a motorist un- un Ies he looks to either side Me and happens to see lee the small signs S on the sidewalk marking the lane to know khow there Is a crossing II at this point Cars t bIz by pedestrians pedestrians who are trying to cross Another failure failure- to act on orr safety J proposals was disclosed at First South and Regent streets where there is a used heavily pedestrian crosswalk across First S Sou South o u t h street On April 11 11 the traffic commission commission commis commis- sion t n referred to the poU police department department depart depart- ment pent ment a proposal to prohibit U U- turns at et t crosswalks Turn Turns Permitted Yet YeL turns U-turns still sun are permitted nt at 1 First South and Regent Reent streets and pedestrians still sUU arc are subjected t to the dual hazard of a car S in singing swingIng swing sing Ing completely around through h the pedestrian right of way at this point In the final report on his traffic survey here Mr Jasper r said that a continuous program am is needed to provide pro adequate traffic ties Lanes he said should be maintained main I and a striping machine should be obtained But lanes have not been b en maintained and the city still un uses the old laborious and time-consuming time system of hand painting Despite Mr Jaspers Jasper's urging of a continuous effort the enforcement enforcement enforcement enforce enforce- ment of pedestrian control has been cn Intermittent Spasmodically p police have carried o-n o on a drive of painting pedestrian lanes laness Then the lanes fade out and remain that way as any observer can find out downtown Another evidence of the police pollee departments department's failure allure to act or ex cx- pan why it did not act is at Main ati- ati street et and Post Office place where a I pedestrian was killed Monday The commission referred to the department a request for or a stop sign on Post Office place at this point The car that struck down the pedestrian had turned left into Main street t from Post PoU Office place Dollars Questions Question Chief of P Pt lice William C C. Webb said It was a Ua case of nothing beIng being be be- ing done when asked why the sign had not been placed and told The T Telegram legram he had something more important to discuss As a means of improving ln the traffic situation at this particular point the traffic commission already al already al al- ready has hu discussed but not acted upon a proposal for or a new pedestrian pedestrian trian crossing at this point The plan s said George French commission secretary calls caUs for or elimination of the two present c crosswalks one across Main street I 8 a Cr aV north side of Post Office p p a act where where the pedestrian was Monday and the other at atthe atthe atthe the south end of Exchange place They would be combined in a new I 1 crosswalk at the south end of Post PostOffice PostOffice Office place Left turns would be prohibited from Post Office and Exchange places and stop signs would be placed on these two side streets Ito to prevent motorists from swingIng swingIng swing swing- I In Ing out suddenly to the right and across the proposed new crosswalk I I |
