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City forced to find crosswalk solutions after fatal accident
Jerica Harvey
Issue date: 9/17/08 Section: News
The Whitewater Common Council was scheduled to act Tuesday to create new safety measures at the Whiton and Main intersection after former student Mike Chaloupka died from injuries sustained after getting hit by a car in the crosswalk Aug. 26.
"[A traffic engineer] produced a report that has a number of different things we could be doing to improve pedestrian safety at this intersection and actually up and down the whole corridor from Prairie to Prince [streets]," City Manager Kevin Brunner said. "Now it will be up to the council to determine what additional steps we can take to make this area safer for everyone."
Luke Holman of Strand and Associates, Inc. studied near-campus crosswalks and came up with solutions for the intersection including, more prominent pedestrian signs, multi-way stop signs, traffic lights or a pedestrian overpass.
"There has to be some sort of stopping for traffic," Council Member at Large Jim Stewart said. "I agreed with Telfer that a stoplight for those driving would solve the problem, but I wanted to take a look at other options also."
The issue of crosswalk safety near and on campus has been complained about for the last several years.
At an Oct. 18, 2005 meeting, UW-Whitewater Professor Sam Martino expressed his concern for pedestrians crossing Main Street and requested some sort of signage to be put up. Councilmen at the time, Kim Hixson also suggested something be done at the crosswalks including creating a Task Force Committee earlier that year.
Students Melinda Toussaint and Tiffini Heim, complained the crosswalks were too difficult to cross on Main Street because of the four lanes of traffic while they were living in Regent apartments in Nov. 2007.
In response to the complaints, the city has installed signage at the various intersections and established a jaywalking ordinance in 2005.
Flashing, trombone-arm pedestrian lights were installed at three Main Street crossings last summer and additional caution signs in the street were put up the morning after Chaloupka was hit.
"[A traffic engineer] produced a report that has a number of different things we could be doing to improve pedestrian safety at this intersection and actually up and down the whole corridor from Prairie to Prince [streets]," City Manager Kevin Brunner said. "Now it will be up to the council to determine what additional steps we can take to make this area safer for everyone."
Luke Holman of Strand and Associates, Inc. studied near-campus crosswalks and came up with solutions for the intersection including, more prominent pedestrian signs, multi-way stop signs, traffic lights or a pedestrian overpass.
"There has to be some sort of stopping for traffic," Council Member at Large Jim Stewart said. "I agreed with Telfer that a stoplight for those driving would solve the problem, but I wanted to take a look at other options also."
The issue of crosswalk safety near and on campus has been complained about for the last several years.
At an Oct. 18, 2005 meeting, UW-Whitewater Professor Sam Martino expressed his concern for pedestrians crossing Main Street and requested some sort of signage to be put up. Councilmen at the time, Kim Hixson also suggested something be done at the crosswalks including creating a Task Force Committee earlier that year.
Students Melinda Toussaint and Tiffini Heim, complained the crosswalks were too difficult to cross on Main Street because of the four lanes of traffic while they were living in Regent apartments in Nov. 2007.
In response to the complaints, the city has installed signage at the various intersections and established a jaywalking ordinance in 2005.
Flashing, trombone-arm pedestrian lights were installed at three Main Street crossings last summer and additional caution signs in the street were put up the morning after Chaloupka was hit.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Lynnette
posted 9/17/08 @ 11:04 AM CST
i push the button to activate the flashing lights everytime i have to cross at the corner of cottage st and main st. during the day it is nearly impossible for drivers to see those lights. (Continued…)
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