June 7, 2013 · Derek

The City Responds to Guerrilla Crosswalks

Over the last few weeks we’ve seen the emergence of citizen public works projects in the form of crosswalks, bike lanes, bike boxes, and other pedestrian accommodations. We first saw it at the corner of Sixth and St. Helens. The paint was ground away along with a layer of asphalt. In the last few days, the intersection at Division and Tacoma Avenue has been completely ... reworked. The city has now responded:

Crosswalks may seem no more than simple stripes, but determining where they go takes more consideration than citizens may think. A recent rash of unofficial crosswalk markings have City of Tacoma staff asking residents to find better ways to channel their desire for pedestrian enhancements.
“We understand and empathize with our citizens’ desire for more pedestrian facilities, but this form of vandalism is not acceptable and can quickly become a significant resource drain and safety hazard. The City will pursue legal action against those engaged in this kind of illegal activity,” said City Manager T.C. Broadnax.

Crosswalk markings create visual emphasis for drivers and guide pedestrians to the best crossing locations. Therefore, poorly located crosswalks lead to safety concerns and the City will continue to act swiftly to remove unofficial markings.

Before creating any new crosswalk, City staff use standards from the Federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices to help determine when conditions are favorable. Considerations include: pedestrian and traffic volumes, street width, traffic speed, sight distance, collision history, traffic control devices and ADA accessibility.

Are you going to put away your paintbrushes now?

Filed under: Transportation, Walkable Tacoma, Biking, City Government, Roads

39 comments

Published Author RR Anderson June 7, 2013

STRIKE HARD AND OFTEN!
- Published Author RR Anderson June 11, 2013
  
  I just painted an illegal crosswalk for Tacomic Tuesday http://comics.feedtacoma.com/tacomic/tacomic-occupy-vigilante-renegade-rogue-crosswalks/
Published Author RR Anderson June 7, 2013

every crosswalk ground away by the city just makes the crosswalk look like a real crosswalk!
Dustin June 7, 2013

These DIY crosswalk makers just need to get better about their craft. They need to make their crosswalks look like every other crosswalk so the city isn't even sure if it's real or not.
Joel June 7, 2013

maybe the city manager should learn the law? all corners are crosswalks for pedestrians and card have to stop of there is a pedestrian at them. a crosswalk is not defined by stripes on the road, it is emphasized by them. same with bike lanes. bikes are entitled to the entire lane but are suggested to stay to the side of the lane with cars giving a 3 foot clearance.
- Jane June 8, 2013
  
  [quote]maybe the city manager should learn the law? all corners are crosswalks for pedestrians and card have to stop of there is a pedestrian at them. a crosswalk is not defined by stripes on the road, it is emphasized by them. same with bike lanes. bikes are entitled to the entire lane but are suggested to stay to the side of the lane with cars giving a 3 foot clearance.[/quote] Thank you so much for posting this! This bit of law needs to be more fully understood. The guerilla crosswalks I've seen have been where it is already legal for pedestrians to cross, and where, traditionally, cars will not stop. As a transit rider and walker, I cannot remember the number of times I've stood at corners waiting for traffic to understand they need to stop for me or the number of times I've almost been hit when in a marked crosswalk, with a walk light in my favor. I applaud the work of those painting the stripes.
- Mike Belle June 11, 2013
  
  To be fair, crosswalks that are not at intersections are in fact defined by their stripes.
Chris June 7, 2013

There's got to be a better way than grinding down the surface of the street. You're only going to antagonize residents this way. Figure out a solution that's more innovative. Maybe help to crowdfunding of the bike lanes and crosswalks? I'm not sure. But this is using city resources to destroy city infrastructure. It's nuts.
Jesse June 7, 2013

To me, this is a serious cry for the city to recognize that the downtown core needs to be built out more so for people than cars. I think the city "gets it" more and more as time and council members turn over.
jimmy June 7, 2013

Cut the gargantuan city police funding and put it toward building a resilient, regenerative city that people will actually want to thrive towards instead of run from.
jimmy June 7, 2013

I ride that route daily and now after grinding the ground the city has caused a huge danger for myself and other cyclist. Thanks City of Tacoma, you goons. At least pave that shit and make it safe, after you say that these new crosswalks cause danger. Thats some muffuggin' hypocrisy. damn, city yooz crazy.
NameSid June 7, 2013

We can spend 10k on a F#$$G totem pole, but not on properly surfacing roads, WTF.
Patricia June 7, 2013

I'm sure he knows that law, Joel. Drivers are supposed to yield/stop for pedestrians who step off the curb signalling they intend to cross. So it's a crosswalk whether the paint is there or not. As the article said, the Federal MUTCD has standards for where MARKED crosswalks or even signal controlled crosswalks are located. Guerrilla traffic markings of any kind just add confusion and, if an accident should occur at one of these intersections, who would you hold liable? Certainly the driver but then who? The City? The artist who painted it? The pedestrian who thought that would keep them safe? The bottom line is that we want people - whether walking, biking or driving - to be safe. The conversation to have is, "How do we make Tacoma a safer place in which to get around?" Installing one's own traffic control devices is not the answer.
- jimmy June 8, 2013
  
  People shouldn't drive like fucking animals and pull their heads out of their arse. Driving is the main cause for cardiovascular disease, the biggest killer in the US. Drivers are murderers.
Zan June 7, 2013

I actually saw pedestrians who normally dart across the street at any locations going to and using the crosswalks. And the cars slowed down for them. This city needs to put pedestrians ahead of cars. We need crosswalks!
NameJoseph June 7, 2013

And I saw a car that didn't expect to find a crosswalk near Wright Park nearly hit a woman who thought she was crossing at a real crosswalk. That woman was my wife. I would rather my valuable tax dollars go to fixing potholes than remedying these things painted by kids who think they are being cool rebels but who have no clue. I am in a wheelchair, by the way, and you cannot simply go around painting crosswalks where ee you feel like it. You are compromising my safety. This self absorption is really irritating. I challenge these crosswalk painters to show their faces and make a valid, informed presentation at an upcoming Disabilities Commission meeting.
- jimmy June 8, 2013
  
  Take safe routes if you think there may be danger in these. If you are dumb enough to get in a dangerous situation then that is called natural selection.
  - NameJoseph June 9, 2013
    
    No. Natural selection is some motorist wiping you out because you lack a true awareness of your surroundings. You, my friend, are in Pierce County. I hope you have a good helmet.
- Mia June 9, 2013
  
  There are already crosswalks all around Wright Park. They are just not painted. But they are there, with wheelchair cuts and all. Cars need to slow down for those too, not just the "painted" ones they can see from 500 feet away. Drivers can see side streets and intersections. Where those exist they should expect to find a crosswalk. City streets are not freeways. Drivers should expect pedestrians at all times and slow down! By that same token, as a pedestrian it's your ass. You need to look both ways, even in a crosswalk. Just like they taught you in preschool.
  - NameJoseph June 9, 2013
    
    Looking both ways will get you nowhere when a car is buzzing over your body way above the speed limit.
    - Mia June 11, 2013
      
      Point being, of there is a car coming don't step in front of it. You can see them coming even if they are going 20 miles over the speed limit. If they are not stopping, don't chance it.
DownTown Resident June 7, 2013

Pedestrians have the right of way in WA with or without crosswalks. Bicycles are welcome in the current lanes or on the shoulder where the streets are big enough. As slow and frustrating as the City can be with putting in crosswalks and bike lanes it really doesn't help to put in your own. It forcing the city to waste money on removing vandalism that is not only vandalism but also a safety hazard. Not every city was built with pedestrians and bicycles in mind. It may take a long time before our streets are perfectly suited for the growing number of people and their modes of transportation. Until then people walking, on bikes, or in cars should travel with with their eyes open to the various forms of transportation and grant eachother courtesy. Perhaps someday Tacoma will have the money to fix potholes, add bike lanes and crosswalks but forcing the city to waste money on vandalism removal is not the answer.
fred davie June 7, 2013

Clearly, everyone in town should make up some large traffic stencils with whatever message amuses them and go around town spray painting their stenciled message on any street or sidewalk they desire. This is a town where such stupidity is not only tolerated, it's actually encouraged.
Andy June 7, 2013

Are these the same guys who paint bombed writes park? looks like the same paint colors to me.
Published Author RR Anderson June 7, 2013

Fred, only stencil areas of road in need of grinding
Sid June 8, 2013

We are way behind in identifying what the people that live here NOW need. Our police and other government offices don't seem to quite get that Tacoma is changing fast and these changes are coming from individuals moving here from bigger cities, even criminals. It is embarrassing watching our policing tactics against seasoned street criminals, it is also embarrassing listening to our police explain why our 911 system does not always relay calls to them because we don't have our own 911 system. It is embarrassing to read about how so much effort is being placed on deciding what to do with a totem pole that tribes don't even want, but we cannot put that money and effort into better policing, or other educational matters. It is embarrassing that our city officials would allow the RAP house where criminal offenders are placed on an early release program be built less than 100 yards away from Lincoln High School and no one in the city knows who approved this. It is embarrassing that our police stations are operated by untrained volunteers and not employees, this is the mentality of people that live in the country where crime is very low. Articles like this remind me of how A&*S backwards we are here and how far we need to go.
Stefan June 8, 2013

My main issue with these is how completely terrible they look. There is one at Tacoma and S 7th, and it looks like it was done by a 3-year-old.
jimmy June 8, 2013

Nice job on deleting comments. So much for free speech you goon.
- Derek staff June 8, 2013
  
  The rules are as they always have been. You used four different usernames from fake email addresses. That's not how we have a conversations around here. The comments would've stayed if you used the same name. Pick one.
  - jimmy June 8, 2013
    
    Its called anonymous scrutiny. My points were still valid. This is supposed to be an open discussion even if it goes against your personal bias standards. Put them back up. You are censoring the discussion to fit your own agenda.
    - Derek staff June 8, 2013
      
      We have a long history of people using pseudonyms and anonymity. That's fine. Your comments were valid. You also have absolutely no idea what my agenda is. We do not tolerate multiple personalities. And if we ask you about it and your email isn't valid, we pull all of them. We've done that for more than eight years and have only had to do it it a couple times. Everybody has always stuck around. If you want them to all come from Jimmy, we'll put them back that way. We tried to ask, but your emails didn't work. Is it Jimmy, then?
      - jimmy June 8, 2013
        
        Please put them up for the sake of constructive critism. Thank you.
        
        Derek staff June 8, 2013
        
        Done. If there are any missing, let me know.
        
        NameJoseph June 9, 2013
        
        If you want constructive criticism, I invite you to make an informed, educated presentation at an upcoming Council Meeting or a Disabilities Commission Meeting. I doubt you, or any of your cowardly cohorts will though.
        
        fred davie June 11, 2013
        
        [quote]If you want constructive criticism, I invite you to make an informed, educated presentation at an upcoming Council Meeting or a Disabilities Commission Meeting. I doubt you, or any of your cowardly cohorts will though.[/quote] I think it's OK to use Exit133 for constructive criticism. Not everybody has the ability to take time off work to appear at council meetings. And as a side note, any elected city council member worth his salt will follow all the local blogs and take notes so he/she knows what people in the Tacoma e-community think.
Sid June 8, 2013

Derek, why are you defending your position? This is your site brother and you run it as you see fit, I am thankful that this place exists so I can vent my differences with city government and applaud their good efforts. Thank you.
Sam June 9, 2013

Secret guerilla street improvement society? Sign me up.
Published Author RR Anderson June 11, 2013

I just painted an illegal crosswalk FOR TACOMIC TUESDAY! http://comics.feedtacoma.com/tacomic/tacomic-occupy-vigilante-renegade-rogue-crosswalks/
Published Author RR Anderson June 11, 2013

I JUST PAINTED AN ILLEGAL CROSSWALK for TACOMIC TUESDAY! http://comics.feedtacoma.com/tacomic/tacomic-occupy-vigilante-renegade-rogue-crosswalks/