Abingdon
Police Department
For Immediate
Release
New Crosswalks on West Main Street
The
Town of Abingdon Public Services and Construction department has installed two new
crosswalks at the request of the Town Council. These crosswalks are to improve
pedestrian safety in the area of West Main Street between Porterfield Highway/Route
19 and Academy Drive. The new crosswalks are located at the intersection of
West Main Street and Patton Street and the intersection of West Main Street and
Preston Street. These crosswalks will serve as more noticeable crossings to enhance
walk ability and pedestrian safety. The safety improvements at each location
will include new crosswalk markings, ADA complaint curb ramps, and a pedestrian
refuge island within the turn lane at the Patton Street crosswalk.
The
Abingdon Police Department wants to remind everyone of the state code and
provide helpful hints with regards to the new crosswalks. Virginia code provides
specific guidance for pedestrians. Please review the state code, and these
helpful hints, before you venture out on your next pedestrian adventure.
The Code of Virginia regulates pedestrian actions by
the following code sections:
§ 46.2-923 How
and where pedestrians to cross highways.
When
crossing highways, pedestrians shall not carelessly or maliciously
interfere with the orderly passage of vehicles. They shall cross, wherever
possible, only at intersections or marked crosswalks.
Where intersections contain no marked crosswalks, pedestrians shall
not be guilty of negligence as a matter of law for crossing at
any such intersection or between intersections when crossing by
the most direct route.
§ 46.2-926
Pedestrians stepping into highway where they cannot be seen.
No
pedestrian shall step into a highway open
to moving vehicular traffic at any point between intersections where his presence would be obscured
from the vision of drivers of
approaching vehicles by
a vehicle or other obstruction at the curb or
side. The foregoing prohibition shall not apply to a pedestrian stepping into a highway to board a
bus or to enter a safety zone, in which event he shall cross the highway only at right angles.
§ 46.2-928
Pedestrians not to use roadway except when necessary; keeping to left.
Pedestrians
shall not use the roadways for
travel, except when necessary to do so because of the absence of sidewalks which are reasonably suitable and
passable for their use. If they walk on the hard surface or the main travelled
portion of the roadway, they shall keep to the extreme left side or
edge thereof, or where the shoulders of
the highway are of sufficient width to permit,
they may walk on either shoulder thereof.
Helpful
Hints:
Pedestrians:
·
Always cross at marked crosswalks. Pedestrians
forfeit their rights as a pedestrian if they cross elsewhere.
·
If a crosswalk is unavailable, be sure to find a
well-lit spot on the road to cross and wait for a long enough gap in traffic to
make it safely across the street.
·
Stay on sidewalks whenever possible. If a
sidewalk is not available, be sure to walk on the far side of the road facing traffic. This will help
increase your visibility to drivers and afford pedestrians with the opportunity
to take evasive actions if needed.
·
Obey any pedestrian signs/signals and look
left-right-left to make sure the road is clear in both directions before
crossing.
·
Always make eye contact with drivers of stopped
or slowing vehicles to be sure they see 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 vehicles are legally obligated to
stop for pedestrians once you are in the crosswalk. Do not infer that drivers have to stop simply
because you are standing on the sidewalk waiting to cross.
Motorists:
·
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.
·
Come to a complete stop if pedestrians are
crossing or preparing to cross.
·
When you are stopped at a crosswalk, allow enough room between
your vehicle and the crosswalk so other drivers can see the pedestrians you
have stopped for.
·
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.
Pictured Above: New Crosswalk at West Main Street and Patton Street
Pictured Above: New Crosswalk at West Main Street and Patton Street
Pictured Above: New Crosswalk at West Main Street and Patton Street
Pictured Above: New Crosswalk at West Main Street and Patton Street
Pictured Above: New Crosswalk at West Main Street and Preston Street
Pictured Above: New Crosswalk at West Main Street and Preston Street
