Austin Among Most Dangerous Large Metro Areas for Pedestrians

Drivers in this city don't know what to do with pedestrians, especially outside of downtown. Case in point, the new pedestrian signal on Lamar at the Triange. The signal is pedestrian-activated; first it gives drivers a solid red light for something like 20 seconds, then a blinking red for another 20. It seems like half the drivers cruise through the solid red light, then the other half just remain stopped at the blinking red (which is to be treated as a four-way stop) even if there are no pedestrians around.

And I have to ask, who can say Austin drivers stop for pedestrians in any of our crosswalks? School zones are the exception and one near me was notorious for drivers cussing out the crossing guard for making them late! As if school didn't end at that exact time every single day.

Yes. pedestrians are clueless, but so are drivers.

It still doesn't excuse the number of places you have to walk in the road because the sidewalk has abruptly ended.

You're right, Thad. I've watched more than one person try to cross I-35 on foot in spite of 80 mph traffic and 6' concrete barriers. Some people you just can't help.

Not trying to be combative, but pedestrians in Austin are completely clueless. They ignore lights and crosswalks as a matter or course. I live just off of South Congress so I can affirm that it is not only students (although the area near campus is a Jaywalking nightmare), it is adults young and old - often with a child or grandchild in tow. It is a frickin miracle that more people in Austin don't get killed every day.

I know that pedestrians always have the right of way legally, but personal responsibility HAS to start entering into the equation. I mean, really, who's responsibility is it when somebody gets hit outside of a crosswalk or when crossing against a light. Those structures and processes are there to protect both drivers and pedestrians.

On a side note, the cyclists are pretty darn good. Mostly off the sidewalks, using lights, taking the lane when necessary and considerate.

Jaywalking encompasses a whole range of behaviors - from inexcusable (the Drag has a light every single block, including one just for pedestrians) to understandable (look how far you'd have to walk down the street to cross with a light on South Congress).

It is nearly impossible to get a traffic light put up in this city on the grounds of pedestrian safety. We tried for years at the UTC - the warrants are unreachable anywhere except at UT, and the staff wasn't willing to go out on a limb (the warrants are really meant to be "at this level you SHOULD put in a light", but they were treated as "don't even think about putting in a light until you get at least here").

You are right about South Congress, the stretch North of Elizabeth is way too long to be without any crossing.

Maybe because everyone in Austin drives like a complete retard??? Like they've never even seen a car before?

I'm shocked! How can it be bad for pedestrians when there are so many streets that don't have sidewalks? Tiny streets, like the IH-35 frontage road.

Gov. Prick Perry says this is just another socialist attack against Texas and the Tea Party will stop wasteful spending on safe infrastructure.