Pedestrian Safety in Nazareth

Recently I wrote about walking in Nazareth (read the post here) particularly in light of the opening of school.

Then at the close of the August 31, 2006 Workshop, Councilman Samus brought up an issue along Bank Street (read the post here, comment is 2nd from last made that evening) concerning three related items - a newly paved street, parents placing their own signs along the street, and children playing in the street.

As you can see these "signs" scream children, and on the day I drove by one was located on each end of the street on opposite sides. I don't know who owns them, places them, or if they gained the consent of any of their neighbors.

I do think the placement of these signs speaks to the same concern I've had in walking throughout town - a lack of awareness by drivers of pedestrians and a disregard toward those walking creating a potentially dangerous situation every time any adult or child crosses a street.

As Councilman Samus notes, Bank Street was recently repaved. It is also near Shafer and as a result alot of parents (many in a hurry) use the street when dropping off and picking up students.

I can personally attest that newly paved streets result in cars travelling faster on them. This can be confirmed by most residents living along South New Street from South Street to E. Walnut.

Regarding the children playing in the street, I haven't seen this, but I don't live close enough to be a judge of whether or not that occurs. I will admit as a kid I often did it (though I lived in a township not the borough). I couldn't imagine my kids doing it today. Mostly for the above noted reason about the speed of cars on our streets combined with the fact that most of them are more interested in their phone conversation than their driving.

In the end it seems to me the concern ought to be why parents felt compelled to purchase and place these signs. It would seem obvious to me that they are concerned with the traffic and safety of pedestrians.

I noticed on Saturday that there were new signs placed in the middle of the lanes around the Circle noting to yield to pedestrians. These appeared at a distance to differ from the cones that were placed during the 4th of July ceremony, but were similar in function.

I'd personally like to see these incorporated where safely possible in as many of the dangerous intersections as possible and to see more cross walks painted throughout the borough.

What do you think? Are these signs placed by parents a problem or an attempt to solve one? Do they cause a problem in and of themselves? Are there drawbacks to painting crosswalks on as many intersections as possible? Or is the pedestrian safety issue a non-issue?