Mark Fischenich: Ask Us: Mankato signals provide time even for average walkers to cross

Mark Fischenich, The Free Press, Mankato, Minn.
·4 min read

Sep. 10—Q: Some of the "Walk"/"Don't Walk" lights seemed to be set on a short cycle in town, particularly on South Riverfront Drive. What's the law on if you're in a crosswalk and the "Don't Walk" light is on? I've had the experience and have heard of others being about run over by drivers who think you're fair game.

A: Before seeking information on crosswalk laws from Mankato Public Safety Director Amy Vokal, Ask Us Guy wanted to explore the reader's impression that some of the city's crossing lights aren't giving walkers a fair chance to get to the other side — particularly with Riverfront Drive, where walkers have to scoot across four to six lanes, depending on the number of turn lanes at an intersection.

Assistant City Engineer Michael McCarty, whose bosses typically grant him the great and solemn honor of answering infrastructure-related Ask Us questions, said the lights are timed to allow a person to cross even if traveling at a relatively casual pace of 2.4 mph.

"The length of time that a 'Walk' signal is displayed is based on the green light time and the time it takes to cross the intersection," McCarty said. "During the time that 'Walk' is displayed, there is enough green time left on that phase to allow for the average pedestrian to safely cross the road. Once there is less green time left than it would take the average pedestrian to cross the street, the signal will transition to flashing 'Don't Walk.'"

In other words, an average-speed walker could begin crossing just before the "Walk" signal switched to the flashing "Don't Walk" and still make it across before the "Don't Walk" turns solid and the danger from oncoming traffic would resume. A walker has no need, when the "Walk" signal ends mid-crossing, to freeze like a panicky squirrel before darting back to the original side of the street.

But if the person is approaching the crosswalk and the "Walk" signal switches to flashing "Don't Walk" before the pedestrian begins crossing, that means that an average-speed walker risks running out of time before reaching the other curb.

Traffic engineers use an average walking speed standard of 3.5 feet per second, which equates to 2.4 mph. (The website Healthline.com reported that a 2011 European study found that average walking speed for adults are actually above 3 mph until about the age of 60 and drop below 2.5 mph only for people in their 80s or older.)

So how about if Sha'Carri Richardson and Usain Bolt are walking down Cherry Street toward Riverfront Drive and the light starts flashing "Don't Walk" before they reach the crosswalk? Richardson and Bolt could easily sprint across Riverfront before the light changed to solid "Don't Walk," probably two or three times if they wanted to.

It would not, however, be legal.

"It is a petty misdemeanor to start to cross a roadway when there is a pedestrian control signal that shows the words 'Don't Walk' or a symbol of an upraised hand, whether they are flashing or steady," Vokal said.

If, on the other hand, the person already has entered the crosswalk when the "Walk" symbol switches to "Don't Walk," they have the legal right to continue to the sidewalk or to the next pedestrian "safety island" on a road with a median.

And how about those circumstances where a pedestrian is in conflict with a turning vehicle, typically one making a right hand turn through the crosswalk?

"In this case, the pedestrian still has the right of way unless there was a vehicle already in the intersection when the pedestrian walk signal came on," Vokal said.

The chief also made the point, in so many words, that pedestrians need to remember that having the right-of-way does not equate to having a powerful forcefield protecting them from harm.

"Pedestrians should still use caution any time they are crossing a roadway because, as we know, there are vehicle drivers that violate traffic control devices," she said. "Ceding the right of way is always a better option than being struck by a motor vehicle."

Contact Ask Us at The Free Press, 418 S. Second St., Mankato, MN 56001. Call Mark Fischenich at 344-6321 or email your question to mfischenich@mankatofreepress.com; put Ask Us in the subject line.