TRAVERSE CITY — Local transportation officials hope additional signage at pedestrian crosswalks along Grandview Parkway will clear up some potential right-of-way confusion.
Michigan Department of Transportation crews this week will install yield signs and other notices where U.S. 31 intersects Oak Street, Elmwood Avenue and Hall Street. Officials said the safety measures will be in place shortly before the annual deluge of National Cherry Festival traffic.
“It’s illegal for a vehicle to hit a pedestrian,” said MDOT Manager Rick Liptak. “We also don’t want pedestrians to stop traffic. They need to look for a spot and cross safely but vehicles also need to yield once they’re already walking through the crosswalk.”
Yellow signs with pedestrian silhouettes will be replaced with red yield signs, an arrow and a pedestrian silhouette. They’ll also be complemented with yellow signs at the street level reminding drivers to yield to pedestrians within the crosswalk.