#11 - Pedestriam Crosswalk Marking

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1 PURPOSE Pedestrian safety is a top priority for the City of Lake Elmo. With an increasing number of distractions for both pedestrians and drivers, it is important to understand that it is everyone's responsibility to ensure pedestrian safety. Pedestrian crosswalks are an integral part of our transportation infrastructure. To be effective and promote safety, marked crosswalks should be limited in use and must be installed only after careful consideration and review. The review shall be done with adherence to accepted guidelines and good engineering practice. The City of Lake Elmo has developed this Policy to determine when a crosswalk will be marked or remain unmarked throughout the City. BACKGROUND Whether marked or unmarked, legal crosswalks exist at all legs of all intersections where sidewalks normally exist, including T-intersections, except where closed and appropriately signed. Marking a crosswalk will not necessarily increase the safety for pedestrians crossing the roadway. Some studies have found that crosswalk markings can create a false sense of security in a pedestrian, and markings do not necessarily result in higher compliance with vehicles stopping for pedestrians. Therefore, the City carefully reviews each request for crosswalks to determine if installing a crosswalk is appropriate for that intersection. As defined in Minnesota State Statute Chapter 169, motorists are required to stop for pedestrians who have entered a legal crosswalk at any intersection, regardless of whether crosswalk markings are present, until the pedestrian has passed the lane in which the vehicle is stopped. Pedestrians are also permitted to cross the street between intersections, provided they yield right of way to vehicles, and they do not cross between adjacent intersections with traffic signals.