Pedestrian Safety Survey closes 10/31

Cittaslow Sebastopol, in conjunction with the City of Sebastopol and Sebastopol Police Department, is looking for public feedback about recent pedestrian safety initiatives and planned programs in the future. Go to SebSurvey.org to share your thoughts. Adults 18 and over who respond and live or work in 95472 will be entered into a drawing for a $50 gift card to the local merchant of their choice. The survey closes October 31, 2018.

In January of 2018, the City of Sebastopol, the Sebastopol Police Department and Cittaslow Sebastopol launched a study group to look at pedestrian safety initiatives across the country and determine which were successful enough to be worth adopting in Sebastopol. Drawing upon resources made available through Sebastopol's membership in the nationwide Walk-Friendly Network, the study group identified 3 areas for improvement: engineering, education and enforcement.


Engineering
Already there are several initiatives in progress including the new HAWK installation at Bodega Ave. and Nelson (the entrance to the Experiment Farm and Burbank Heights and Orchard); flashing lights at Bodega Ave. and Ragle Road; and a grant co-submitted with the County for pedestrian and bike improvements along Ragle Rd.

Feedback desired from the public includes a vote on priorities for up-coming projects identified in the General Plan. For instance, is it more important to fill in gaps in sidewalks so pedestrians do not need to walk in the street? To create a bypass for Highway 12? Or Highway 116? Or to make Main St. and Petaluma Ave two way? Voice your opinion through the survey.

Education
Pedestrian collisions typically involve inattention or neglect concerning right of way laws, by drivers AND by pedestrians. There are numerous possibilities for educational initiatives. For drivers, educational efforts could concentrate on speeding, failure to yield to pedestrians, distracted driving (e.g, texting or talking on the phone), passing a car stopped at a crosswalk, or running a red light.

For pedestrians, awareness could be increased about using the crosswalk signals, obeying the don't walk signal, relying too heavily on the flashing lights, stepping onto the roadway without checking for cars, distracted walking (e.g., texting while crossing the street) or crossing in unmarked unsafe locations (e.g., mid-block).

Which strategies seem most important to you? Do you have any ideas for a good education campaign? Bumper stickers? Stencils on the sidewalk? Radio spots? Signs at intersections? Share your ideas through the survey.

Enforcement
While speeding may not cause pedestrian accidents, it definitely plays a role in the severity of the consequences for pedestrians, so safety is absolutely an issue with speed limit compliance. In the last five years, the Sebastopol Police Department has given out 2722 speeding tickets. The Department also has five radar signs that inform drivers of their speed relative to the posted limit. In addition it has the Slow Down Kitty created by local sculptor Patrick Amiot which can be requested for a neighborhood where speeding is a problem.

The study group identified three other enforcement activities that have been implemented around the country and found to have a strong impact on improved safety for pedestrians.

• A Traffic HotLine. Now you can call the main police number, 829-4400 and ask to be connected to the traffic hotline. If an officer is not available at the time, you can leave a message describing the incident you wish to report. There is also now a dedicated email for reporting traffic concerns: [email protected].
• Crosswalk Stings. The next time you see a pedestrian in the crosswalk, it may be an out-of-uniform officer! Drivers who do not yield appropriately will receive a ticket. The city of Gainesville was able to improve compliance with right of way laws by 67% using crosswalk stings. Sebastopol Police will be adopting the same strategy.
• Ask a Traffic Cop. Often people are confused about who has right of way when. For instance, how far across the street must the pedestrian be before a driver can proceed through the crosswalk? The survey has a place to collect your questions. Answers may be delivered through a blog, social media, the city newsletter or other forms of communication. Now's your time to ask!

If you have questions about the survey, contact Cittaslow Sebastopol at [email protected]. The survey will close on October 31st.