Lewes crosswalks need attention
Lewes has led the state in pedestrian and bicycle friendliness for several years. Persistent efforts by a bicycling and pedestrian safety committee resulted in bright-white, highly visible crosswalks placed at busy pedestrian crossings.
Silent policemen have also been placed to remind drivers to be careful around these crosswalks. These stand-up signs announce that state law gives pedestrians the right of way in crosswalks. The committee has distributed brochures and advertised in a variety of media to change the culture in town toward more bicycle and pedestrian friendliness.
Local drivers lead the way in these efforts by providing an example to others when it comes to proper yielding. While not all drivers honor the spirit of the crosswalks, most do. The result is pedestrians in Lewes don’t have to feel hostaged by unbroken streams of traffic preventing their ability to cross the town’s streets.
Recently, however, a resident fell victim to a driver who did not yield the right of way. The lapse in attention resulted in serious injury. The incident reminds us that, no matter how many signs and crosswalks and silent policemen there are, crossing streets – especially in the increasingly busy traffic of summer – remains a dangerous undertaking.
The next several months may be particularly dicey. Heavy traffic in the last few years has taken its toll on the crosswalks, severely wearing away markings. This is especially noticeable on Savannah Road, which carries the greatest traffic. This state-owned roadway is scheduled for resurfacing. That was to be started and completed last spring and over the summer, but utility work is now delaying the project until next spring.
It’s understandable if the state wanted to delay restriping the crosswalks for a few months until the resurfacing was complete, but now that the project is stretching out, deterioration has grown more serious. Consideration needs to be given to posting more silent policemen in the meantime and repainting crosswalks in the greatest need.
These visual cues won’t guarantee that all drivers will stop for pedestrians in rights-of- way, but they definitely add awareness.
Lewes has come too far in fostering this brand of safety to allow itself to drift backward.
