Worst intersections for pedestrians

[dangerboy]

Some of us bike/ped agitators are working on information to give to folks running for mayor and council in KCMO.  I'd like the forum's help identifying the best examples of bad pedestrian locations.  For example, the intersection of Main/Brookside/Volker on the southeast corner of the Plaza or NW Barry Road at Park Hill High School.  Problems could include lack of crosswalk, bad signal timing, poor intersection design, etc.  I'm looking for 2-3 similar examples in each of the six council districts in KCMO.  Thanks.

[Tosspot]

As I've said many times, the five-way intersection at 47th/Roanoke/Madison is terrible to cross, with a blind spot when crossing between Roanoke and 47th.

Also, Westport Road is treacherous to cross everywhere between State Line and Southwest Trafficway.

[scooterj]

From my experience:

20th & Baltimore -- but only during heavy traffic -- drivers tend to ignore the crosswalk there.

3rd Street needs a stop sign at Delaware and/or at Wyandotte in order to break up the flow of traffic so that it's physically possible to cross during the morning and evening rush hours.  There is no crosswalk at all at Wyandotte and most drivers ignore the crosswalk at Delaware even if people are standing there trying to cross.

Just for the sake of comfort and to alert motorists to yield, a painted and signed crosswalk connecting to the dead-end sidewalk at the NE corner of the intersection of Main/Delaware/7th/I-70 ramps would be helpful.

Get someone to shovel the overpasses in the winter.  Currently the sidewalks get cleared well inside the loop and in the River Market but no one touches the overpasses.

[Beermo]

I-70 and I-435 east of dt. bad intersection.

[eternalvibe]

What's with 39th & Main not having crosswalk lights?  I guess with the No Left Turn signs in place they consider the Greens & Reds to signal both vehicles & pedestrians...Still it strikes me as odd.

[kclofter]

My votes for the worst:

1) Little-known and seldom-seen crosswalk, midblock at 46th & Main in front of Frondizi's: traffic speeding down the hill on Main, bad timing with the intersection lights at 47th & Main, no flshing warning light (just a crosswalk sign) and worn pedestrian crossing stripes on the pavement.

2) The crossing light at 47th & Main going east/west - allows for a total of 20 seconds for pedestrian to cross 6-7 lanes of heavy traffic.

[DaveKCMO]

• 31st and southwest trafficway pretty much signals the end of the line for pedestrians headed west
• independence ave./5th st. and broadway (in front of the broadway bridge) technically contains a crosswalk, but it's VERY frightening

i also agree with all of the others posted here. someone needs to make the public works department walk this beloved RCP stretch and then see how they prioritize their upgrades and maintenance.

[UMKCroo]

I am probably slightly biased because I cross it at least twice a day, but the intersection of 46th and Main is horrible.  Despite being clearly marked as a pedestrian crossing, I feel like I am in a simulated Frogger game every day.  I have had multiple confrontations with American Centurians Speeding back to JOCO.

[nota]

45 Highway/Prairie View/I29 interchange.

Scary for peds and even for cars. Lots of wrecks there. Lanes are confusing, no crosswalks, several routes coming together without clear markings or signing. Belongs to MODOT I think.

[KCMax]

In Mission on Johnson Drive, drivers used to ignore the crosswalks all the time, and pedestrians had to cross at their own risk. The city has now put up signs in the middle of the road that say something to the effect of "State Law: You Must Stop for Pedestrians". They certainly seem to get your attention better than the sign on the sidewalk. I wonder if we may see this implemented in KC.

[staubio]

I'll pretty much echo scoot. 

3rd street needs to have something done.  It has become the bypass for truck traffic cutting through the park and on to the West Bottoms as well as lots of commuters.  It really is a steady stream of cars and nobody respects the crosswalk.  I find myself literally walking out halfway and daring cars not to stop for me just so I can get across.

I'm also frustrated with the intersection immediately over the Delaware/Main overpass where the frontage road traffic can join Main, but that is probably because I have to deal with it every day.  The markings aren't clear and you pretty much have to cross onto the island for one light and then wait for the next to cross 8th if you want to do it legally.

[chrizow]

i hate crossing 47th on the Plaza at Jefferson.  you have to dash across one part of the street, hang out on the median or in the middle of the crosswalk, then dash across the second-half.  the cars go pretty fast down there too.  it's a lost cause from 5-6pm.

[chuck]

I have found that during rush hour, especially when it gets dark early, crossing the intersection at Walnut & Independence is a hassle. Most cars never come to a full stop, and the drivers make no attempt to look for pedestrians because they're only looking to see if a car is coming in the other direction. I've had to stop in the middle of the street for drivers who are too impatient to wait for me to get to the other side. And several times every month I see cars run the stop signs, completely oblivious to what they missed.

[staubio]

I have found that during rush hour, especially when it gets dark early, crossing the intersection at Walnut & Independence is a hassle. Most cars never come to a full stop, and the drivers make no attempt to look for pedestrians because they're only looking to see if a car is coming in the other direction. I've had to stop in the middle of the street for drivers who are too impatient to wait for me to get to the other side. And several times every month I see cars run the stop signs, completely oblivious to what they missed.

Thanks Chuck. I was just thinking of this intersection.  You are right, you can never assume that anyone is going to stop at those signs.  Dicey!

[kard]

Almost any arterial x arterial intersection south 95th street from State Line Road to Colorado.

[schugg]

what about volker and troost plus one other road that creates a 5 way intersection?

[DaveKCMO]

The pedestrian crosswalk where Chen was hit, at 53rd Street and Troost, did not have a traffic signal. Her parents sued the city for negligence, arguing that, having installed the crosswalk, the city had a duty to control traffic and to adequately warn drivers of its existence.

The city appealed, contending the parents’ claim was barred by governmental immunity under a state law enacted in 1978. The law bars tort claims against the city, with two exceptions. One of them is for injuries caused by the “dangerous condition” of public property.

Last week, the Missouri Court of Appeals rejected that argument. In its decision, the court noted that a traffic engineer for the city testified that engineers at HNTB had given the intersection a failing grade for “level of service.” It also noted that school officials and residents over the years had requested a traffic signal at the intersection.

there's another intersection like this at 51st and oak with no traffic signal.

[jimb]

Almost any arterial x arterial intersection south 95th street from State Line Road to Colorado.

Leaving the Sprint campus yesterday and sitting at the light at 119th and Metcalf (not BV Pkwy, Metcalf), I saw the strangest sight - PEDESTRIANS CROSSING THE STREET!

A well-dressed couple was walking south.  They got across the kajillion lanes of 119th St in one piece, but there was no light to help them across the right turn drain from nb Metcalf onto eb 119th.  It was a fun game of frogger for them to make it that last 20 feet.

[DaveKCMO]

Leaving the Sprint campus yesterday and sitting at the light at 119th and Metcalf (not BV Pkwy, Metcalf), I saw the strangest sight - PEDESTRIANS CROSSING THE STREET!

A well-dressed couple was walking south.  They got across the kajillion lanes of 119th St in one piece, but there was no light to help them across the right turn drain from nb Metcalf onto eb 119th.  It was a fun game of frogger for them to make it that last 20 feet.

i have crossed the street south of the sprint campus before and it's not fun. there is a walk signal, but it takes FOREVER to get to it in the cycle since there are distinct left-turn signals in all four directions. my co-workers thought i was crazy, but i timed it and it takes me the exact same amount of time as driving (considering the parking garages, traffic lights, etc.). i would never ever try to cross metcalf, though. that is just insane!

[TheBigChuckbowski]

Crossing the north loop on Main is stupid.