Crosswalk Safety tips

Pedestrians:

Always cross at marked crosswalks. You forfeit your rights as a pedestrian if you cross elsewhere.

Obey any pedestrian signals and look left-right-left to make sure the road is clear in both directions before crossing.

If a vehicle approaches, make eye contact with the driver to be sure he/she sees you before you cross.

Look before walking past stopped vehicles. Do not cross just because a driver waves you on. Be sure all lanes are clear first.

Remember that bicyclists are not considered pedestrians unless they are walking their bikes. Otherwise, they are considered vehicles.

Drivers:

Yield to pedestrians in crosswalks and at intersections

Be prepared to stop at all marked crosswalks. Stay alert and reduce speed in areas with crosswalks

Be alert for bicyclists and skateboarders whose approaches to the crosswalk may be much swifter than those of pedestrians.

Come to a complete stop if pedestrians are crossing or preparing to cross.

Wait until pedestrians have crossed at least one lane past the lane you are in before resuming travel.

Never pass another vehicle that has stopped or is slowing down at a crosswalk.

Crosswalk at Burns and Kickapoo

To the City of Shawnee Traffic Commission:

This letter is concerning the placement of a crosswalk and other safety measures on the corner of Burns and Kickapoo.

There are several reasons to install a marked crosswalk at this location:

1. To indicate a preferred pedestrian crossing location, so that the students of Shawnee High School, and others needing to cross Kickapoo at this location, will have the right of way, because markings are viewed as proof that pedestrians have a legitimate right to share the roadway.
2. To alert drivers to an often used pedestrian crossing, for those that live in the Westside Neighborhood Watch area.
3. As an indication of school walking routes, for the students of Shawnee High.
4. This is also an often-used crossing location for the students that choose to eat lunch from Love’s. In addition, for those that patronize other businesses on the East side of Kickapoo during lunch hours and after school.

It is important that both drivers and pedestrians clearly see the crossing. With a pedestrian crossing warning sign or signs. This can be done in several ways.

1. Advance crosswalk pavement markings. The design consists of rectangular, white bar pavement markings sized and placed to form a triangle on travel lanes in advance of crosswalks.
2. Advance stop lines prior to the crosswalk with a (Stop Here for crosswalk) sign in each direction.
3. On this crosswalk crossing and others in the city of Shawnee the word >LOOK<>
4. Portable “Yield to Pedestrians” crosswalk signs placed before the crosswalk on the roadway.

It is also important that the public should be educated about the latest pedestrian safety measure. When the crosswalk is placed at the corner of Burns and Kickapoo.

Thank you in advance of your consideration and approval of this crosswalk.