THE MINI MEDIAN
Traffic calming has been in the pedestrian safety toolbox for a few decades, and many cities have shrunk their five-lane urban corridors into two lanes in each direction, with a median replacing the turn lane, creating a safe haven.
Many people
— wheelchair users, folks with children, slow walkers — cannot cross multiple
lanes of traffic in 30 seconds.
They might
need to stop midway, but if the median is too small or obstructed by lighting
or landscaping, cars making turns and heavy vehicle mirrors can put them in
danger.
The smallest
adult wheelchair is around four feet long and 30 inches wide.
That means
the safe haven, protected part of a median must be at least five feet wide to
allow for a turning radius and room to wait until it's safe to complete the
journey across the road.
No comments:
Post a Comment