Bethesda, Maryland. On Battery Lane the sidewalk is widened at a utility
pole to give pedestrians enough space to walk around it. Good
idea!
A signpost is placed in the middle of the widened sidewalk. The
space between the post and the pole is too narrow for a wheelchair user
to get by. Bad idea!
Misguided use of decorative crosswalks.
Birmingham, Alabama. Bricks and pavers are used for crosswalks. Some
designers think that the different color and texture will make drivers
take more notice of the crosswalk. This is a mistake. Bricks are far less
visible to drivers than reflective white paint, especially at night or
in the rain. And it doesn't make sense to have the entire street smooth
except where pedestrians are expected to walk on it.
At the intersection in the photo, a wheelchair user travels outside the
crosswalk to avoid the vibration from traveling over the fancy pavers
Annapolis, Maryland. To cross Rowe Boulevard, you have to push a button
to get the walk signal. A steel guardrail separates the button from the
sidewalk. Unless you play for the NBA, it's a bit of a stretch. Bad
idea!
Obstacle in sidewalk.
Honolulu, Hawaii. When Kalanianaole Highway was recently widened, the
fire hydrants were installed in the exact center of the sidewalk! This
placement did not leave room on either side for a wheelchair to pass by.
Moving the hydrants over to the edge of the sidewalk (where they should
have been in the first place) would be expensive, so the sidewalk was
extended out into the street instead. Now bicyclists using the bicycle
lane have to contend with an abrupt narrowing of the bike lane next to
every hydrant. Bad idea!
Disappearing sidewalk.
Gaithersburg, Maryland. Quince Orchard Road passes under the CSX railroad
tracks. The sidewalk along Quince Orchard first turns into a dirt path,
and then disappears altogether. A guardrail pushes pedestrians out into
the street, where they share space with cars under the bridge. Ouch!
Poor landscape design.
Washington, DC. Shrubbery and a fence block direct pedestrian access
to the WUSA television studios. Pedestrians have to detour to a side street
and go up the driveway. All this within three blocks of the Metro!
One-way thinking
Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Signs and signals on on-way streets only
point toward the one-way auto traffic, not to the two-way pedestrian traffic.
Half the time, pedestrians are on the wrong side to see the street name
or the green light. Bad idea!
Hide the pedestrian.
Bethesda, Maryland. Good visibility near intersections is vital to pedestrian
safety. A misguided attempt at beautification has created a hazardous
situation. There are two pedestrians behind the planter
in this photo! Bad idea!
Birmingham, Alabama. Bricks and pavers are used for crosswalks. Some
designers think that the different color and texture will make drivers
take more notice of the crosswalk. This is a mistake. Bricks are far less
visible to drivers than reflective white paint, especially at night or
in the rain. And it doesn't make sense to have the entire street smooth
except where pedestrians are expected to walk on it.
At this intersection, a wheelchair user travels outside the crosswalk
to avoid the vibration from traveling over the fancy pavers
This parking lot in Helena, Montana, is designed to drain all of its
stormwater runoff across the adjacent sidewalk. Pedestrians are guaranteed
to get their shoes soaked. In the winter, meltwater from the parking lot
will form a sheet of ice across the sidewalk.
Asheville, North Carolina. A lovely urban trail circles downtown! Created
through a public-private partnership, the self-guided walking trail uses
sculpture and markers to highlight the city's heritage. Thirty stations
are spread out in a 1.6 mile (2.6 km) loop. The trail helps to attract
pedestrians back to the downtown area.
Storm drains separated from the curb.
San Jacinto Street in Houston, Texas. The street is being rebuilt with
the storm drains located in the street several feet from the curb. Water
flows away from the curb, preventing puddles near the sidewalk where cars
can splash pedestrians.
Good use of decorative crosswalks.
Crosswalks along Michigan Street in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, have a surface
that is distinctive from the surrounding asphalt street, but without creating
problems for pedestrians. Concrete is used for the crosswalk, providing
a smooth surface for pedestrians. Each edge of the crosswalk has a border
of paving stones, providing a tactile guide for blind pedestrians using
a cane to navigate. A much better approach than brick crosswalks, which
can provide a rough surface for pedestrians.
Nice intersection treatment in downtown Milwaukee.
The entire intersection is colored and textured to resemble brick paving
stones, except for the crosswalks. The crosswalks are smooth white concrete,
with the textured surface on either side. The distinctive texture and
color makes the intersection stand out for drivers, but the pedestrians
still have a smooth surface to walk on.
Clever crosswalk painting in Seattle
This crosswalk striping pattern is highly visible to motorists. The stripes
are spaced to avoid the tire paths of the average car, so they will need
to be repainted less often.