Tuesday, March 16, 2010

North Roosevelt Boulevard in Key West must be among the most dangerous stretches of U.S. 1 in the Florida Keys. We're not talking so much about the risk to automobiles, rather the danger to pedestrians on this section of the highway.

First is the 1.2 miles from the traffic signal at the entrance to Key West to the signal at Kennedy Drive. On the gulf side of this stretch there is a resort hotel at each end, two bus stops in between and a lot of waterfront sidewalk -- but no traffic signals or crosswalks.

Beyond that is another 1.1 miles where sidewalks and businesses line either side of the highway.

At this time of year, pedestrian traffic includes lots of spring breakers, tourists, locals and homeless -- perhaps inebriated, perhaps not -- who for access to public transportation, their hotel rooms or just the waterfront view find a need to cross the road.

It was in the second area of the boulevard that a pedestrian attempting to cross the road was fatally struck by an automobile a few weeks ago. The driver may have been completely blameless, but that does not mean that the rest of us should not be especially diligent.

The state Department of Transportation has big plans to improve the highway. Even so, the plan does little to help pedestrians get safely across the highway. And the project isn't to start until October, and won't be finished until at least 18 months from now.

Consequently, we believe the city of Key West and state transportation officials should do what it can now to alleviate the hazards. Here are a few suggestions:

• More crosswalks are needed, if only to let pedestrians -- and motorists -- know there are specific places to more safely cross the highway.

• There are no traffic signals on the first part of the boulevard. It would be logical to have one at the entrance to the Searstown shopping center, and another at Niles Sales and Service.

• As motorists approach the Triangle, where U.S. 1 enters the city, they see a sign that indicates a continuous right turn. But many -- if not most -- drivers miss a sign farther back that says traffic must stop for pedestrians and cyclists in the crosswalk. We urge the transportation officials to move the pedestrian/cyclists sign closer to the intersection where it will be seen by motorists slowing for the turn.

• Oftentimes, a mobile sign alerts motorists to safety issues -- including a warning about spring break pedestrian traffic. It's a wise move, but the speed limit is still 35 mph. If Flagler Avenue's new stretch calls for slower traffic, it might also be warranted for the boulevard.

• Another factor creating traffic tie-ups, and therefore, accidents, are motorists attempting left-hand turns onto the boulevard from shopping centers and side streets. We've frequently seen drivers in rush-hour traffic inch out from the Kmart shopping center across two lanes of bumper-to-bumper traffic to make a left turn -- with limited visibility. It would be a good idea to restrict left turns along much of the boulevard to those intersections with traffic lights.

The boulevard needs to be improved, but drivers need to be extra careful as well. Not every pedestrian is a local. Not every pedestrian is sober. Not every pedestrian obeys the law.

Defensive driving should include watching for inattentive pedestrians.

-- The Citizen