Safe crossings may come from a light and a dream

After years of arguments, plenty of traffic backups and numerous pedestrian accidents, Pitt… After years of arguments, plenty of traffic backups and numerous pedestrian accidents, Pitt Police Chief Tim Delaney has a solution to the traffic problems that plague Bigelow Boulevard.

And he found the answer in New York City.

While in New York on vacation with his wife, Delaney walked out of Rockefeller Center and made his way toward St. Patrick’s Cathedral, where he had his epiphany.

“I got to the pedestrian crosswalk, which works in conjunction with the intersection’s lights,” he said. “I stood there in the middle of the sidewalk and said, ‘This is it; this is the answer.'”

His answer is to place a second set of traffic lights on Bigelow Boulevard, near the main crosswalk from the Cathedral of Learning to the William Pitt Union.

“What I see at times is that the students cannot get across,” he said. “What I’ve proposed is a mid-street crosswalk with a traffic light.”

According to Delaney, the light would work in conjunction with the light on Fifth Avenue. When the light at Fifth Avenue is green, permitting Bigelow traffic to cross Fifth, all pedestrians at the Bigelow crosswalk would be directed to stop. When the light at Fifth Avenue is red, the light at the crosswalk would match, allowing students to cross Bigelow Boulevard safely.

Delaney also mentioned that he would like to have a walk sign appear for students when the traffic light for vehicles is red, and a don’t walk sign when traffic has the right of way.

“What we’re trying to get here is a balance,” he said. “When that Fifth light is green, all pedestrians must stop walking.”

Delaney would also like to add a time counter, which would indicate to pedestrians how much time remains for them to cross the street.

“Don’t try to run 30 yards when the light’s getting ready to change,” he advised pedestrians.

Delaney has been meeting with representatives from an Oakland transportation council and PennDOT, trying to devise a plan to make Oakland safer for both pedestrians and drivers.

“These students have a lot on their minds. They have classes on their minds, headsets on their minds, mp3s on their minds,” Delaney said. “I watched the PennDOT representative jumping and flinching because of how close some pedestrians were to getting hit.”

Delaney offered one final piece of advice for pedestrians and drivers:

“You cannot assume the cars will see you,” he said. “[Drivers and pedestrians] both have to pay attention.”