Seventh and Washington pedestrian refuge signs flattened 10 times in 4 months

Posted on Wed, Feb 3, 2010 : 5:45 p.m.

A report compiled by the City of Ann Arbor and returned in response to a FOIA request shows that the keep-right sign and the in-street pedestrian crossing sign at the corner of West Washington Street and South Seventh Street, which were installed for the first time on Oct. 8, 2009, have been reinstalled due to accidents 10 times since then.

A notice on the city of Ann Arbor's project page reads:

It has been brought to the City's attention that crossing Seventh St at Washington St is uncomfortable for pedestrians. ( Seventh St. at Washington St. Pedestrian Refuge Island.

The sign at the north side of the pedestrian island is in the path of southbound traffic on Seventh Avenue. Seventh has an awkward intersection with Huron one block to the north, and traffic going south can't see the pedestrian crossing very well, one of the reasons the pedestrian island was put in in the first place. Based on the repeated car-sign crashes noted below, it's not clear that the new island is doing its intended job.

Incidents are noted by date; where there is reporting or photos, they are noted. October: 16 (photo), 19 November: 4 December: 11, 16, 21 (photo), 23 (photo) January: 4, 13 (note), 20 (photo)

Each of the signs reinstalled were located on the north side of the island.

"There have been no changes in sign design or installation or other alterations that have been done since the first install", writes City Administrator Roger W. Fraser in a letter.

This intersection was noted in a previous column as one of the worst crossings for pedestrians in Ann Arbor.