By Jack Watson SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – The Syracuse Common Council has voted unanimously in favor of a project aimed at improving some of the city’s crosswalks and intersections.
Each councilor approved the measure, with the exception of Susan C. Boyle of Common Council District 3, who was absent from Monday’s meeting.
The total project cost, according to public city documents, would be approximately $1,630,000.
The cost would be covered up front by the City of Syracuse and would be reimbursed with federal funds from the Transportation Improvement Program, or TIP.
Syracuse University is a high foot traffic area with several marked crosswalks and signs. Some surrounding areas, however, are not as heavily-marked.
“I’ve gone on accidents during the course of my career, primarily as a Syracuse cop,” said S.U. Department of Public Safety Officer Joe Shanley, “where bicyclists and pedestrians have been hit, and it’s usually because of some oversight on their part by not paying attention to the rules of the road.”
Shanley believes more markings and bright signs around the city would go a long way toward improving pedestrian safety.
“Especially when (a sign is) bright, it’s kind of alarming, your senses are to look at it,” he said.
Crossing the street… it’s a reality of living in the city or on a campus. But in some parts of Syracuse, getting from one sidewalk to the next isn’t quite as safe as it could be. The lack of signage and crosswalks in certain areas of the city is leading to concerns.
Common Council: “please call the role” “all in favor” “aye” it’s unanimous”
The Syracuse common council approved a plan on Monday that would improve intersections for pedestrians around some of those less-marked areas.
Some places here in Syracuse benefit from having a much more robust system for crossing the street like this one between East Adams and University Avenue, where there’s a button here and a very well-defined crosswalk, but some places in Syracuse don’t have this benefit, and that can be dangerous”
Joe Shanley: Wave him over, that’s good, see?
Retired Syracuse cop Joe Shanley now works with the department of public safety here at Syracuse University. We drove in the patrol car around high-foot-traffic areas, even ones with several crosswalks, and Shanley says even with more markings, it’s still important for everyone to pay attention.
Joe Shanley: I’ve gone on accidents during the course of my career, primarily as a Syracuse cop, where bicyclists and pedestrians have been hit, and it’s usually because of some oversight on their part by not paying attention to the rules of the road.
But Shanley says more markings and bright signs around the city would go a long way toward improving pedestrian safety.
Joe Shanley: When a color pops up, I go “woah” especially when it’s bright, it’s kind of alarming, your senses are to look at it.
There’s a hope, especially with officer Shanley, that the new signs will do just that.
In Syracuse, Jack Watson, NCC News.
