B&B Mainstreet Theater

[Tosspot]

(clickable to photoblog post)

photo taken Sat. 3/14/09

[DaveKCMO]

thanks for including the horrific crosswalk buttons.

[Highlander]

thanks for including the horrific crosswalk buttons.

What's so horrific about the crosswalk buttons?

[scooterj]

What's so horrific about the crosswalk buttons?

(1) It's moronic.   These are the heaviest pedestrian areas downtown, WALK should be lit on green by default.

(2) If you aren't quick enough at the button, you'll have to wait for the next cycle.

(3) Most importantly:   Most people are going to walk on green anyway, but since the signs say DON'T WALK if no one has bothered to push a button, the motorists feel empowered to ignore ayone in the cross walk and cut them off or mow them over.

I've seen a lot more stupid driving at 12th & Main since the buttons were put in there.  Vehicles making left turns with total disregard for anyone in the crosswalk.

[LenexatoKCMO]

(1) It's moronic.   These are the heaviest pedestrian areas downtown, WALK should be lit on green by default.

(2) If you aren't quick enough at the button, you'll have to wait for the next cycle.

(3) Most importantly:   Most people are going to walk on green anyway, but since the signs say DON'T WALK if no one has bothered to push a button, the motorists feel empowered to ignore ayone in the cross walk and cut them off or mow them over.

I've seen a lot more stupid driving at 12th & Main since the buttons were put in there.  Vehicles making left turns with total disregard for anyone in the crosswalk.

(4) many of the new ones (along Truman in particular) are placed in locations that are either a) hard to locate, b) far from the sidewalk, or c) dangerous to reach. 

[loftguy]

I have to agree.  The system is counterintuitive and confusing for most people.  Walk downtown and observe the intersections and you see pedestrians on every corner of every block who are trying to figure out what is going on.  Tourists spinning in circles and finally ignoring the don't walk indication, often right in front of cars.

Cars should placed in the cautionary position in pedestrian intensive situations.  The button setup defaults in favor of faster moving automobiles.

Walking is good.  This system is bad.

[PumpkinStalker]

That picture is truly awesome Toss.  The fiance and I sat in amazement looking at it on my phone at Panera today!

[KCDowntown]

Ran by this building yesterday and noticed that there are lights in the sidewalk that will illuminate the side of the building.  Can't wait to see these on too.

KCDowntown

[Tosspot]

That picture is truly awesome Toss.  The fiance and I sat in amazement looking at it on my phone at Panera today!

Thanks dude!

I know the push-button crosswalks suck, but they make the picture more fun to look at here, in my estimation.

[KCLover]

Nice picture Toss, I really like it.

[LenexatoKCMO]

They are moving along pretty fast at framing in that LED ribbon marquee.  It looks like it may actually remain pretty sleek - though much more finished looking than in that original pic. 

[Tosspot]

Midland Theater today....




(clickable blah blah blah)

[geeman68]

I have a similar picture at home.    Nice job.

[IraGlacialis]

(1) It's moronic.   These are the heaviest pedestrian areas downtown, WALK should be lit on green by default.

(2) If you aren't quick enough at the button, you'll have to wait for the next cycle.

(3) Most importantly:   Most people are going to walk on green anyway, but since the signs say DON'T WALK if no one has bothered to push a button, the motorists feel empowered to ignore ayone in the cross walk and cut them off or mow them over.

I've seen a lot more stupid driving at 12th & Main since the buttons were put in there.  Vehicles making left turns with total disregard for anyone in the crosswalk.

I thought the buttons force the light to turn green, especially on streets where it is more efficient to have a constant stream in a certain direction that should only be halted by pedestrian demand or opposing traffic demand; plus there being automatic walk sign if there is green light, regardless of someone pressing the button or not. At least that is the kind I've seen.
But when explained like that, yes, they do sound moronic.

[LenexatoKCMO]

I thought the buttons force the light to turn green, especially on streets where it is more efficient to have a constant stream in a certain direction that should only be halted by pedestrian demand or opposing traffic demand; plus there being automatic walk sign if there is green light, regardless of someone pressing the button or not. At least that is the kind I've seen.
But when explained like that, yes, they do sound moronic.

Such variations do indeed exist in the world . . . but I have never seen them in DTKC. 

[GRID]

If it’s an urban area where there are a lot of pedestrians, you should not have to push a button.  Period.  And it needs to be consistent throughout the entire area.

There are some exceptions like along Broadway where there may not be pedestrians at every cycle and the traffic flow would be extremely disrupted, but I think Broadway has enough ped activity to warrant a non-actuated ped cycles.  It would work so long as the signals are interconnected and traffic can flow through most signals on a single phase.

KCMO really needs to change this and those of you that I’m agreeing with need to keep up the fight to get it changed.

As a person that has worked in this field for over ten years, I can honestly say that the traffic engineers in this town are all “suburban” traffic engineers.  We need to change that mentality and design roads in the city in more “urban” manner.

[loftguy]

As a person that has worked in this field for over ten years, I can honestly say that the traffic engineers in this town are all “suburban” traffic engineers.  We need to change that mentality and design roads in the city in more “urban” manner.

Glad to see this confirmed by a "pro".  For many years I've struggled with city traffic engineers to get reasonable things done with signage and systems throughout downtown.  The response has been maddeningly resistant to reasonable change and accommodation.

My prime example was in trying to get stop signs installed at an intersection that had chronic speeding on one street and blind entries on the cross street with resulting and continuous accidents.  Their response for years was, and I quote, "stop signs are not to be used as a means of traffic control".  ............then what the f*#k is a stop sign?

It remained that way until an incredulous city council person said to city engineers, "I don't care.  Put the stop signs in."

[geeman68]

Please revert back to the thead topic.  Everytime I think something exciting is being said about the AMC Mainstreet, its about this damn signage and signal crap.  So underwhelming and disappointing. 

[LenexatoKCMO]

Just needs to be broken out into the "making DT more pedestrian friendly" thread. 

[scooterj]

Tosspot's fault!