Crosswalks and Caution Put Pedestrians on Safest Path

Dear Street Smart:

In no other community in Orange County do I feel more a moving target than in my own, Irvine, when I am trying to cross the street. Cars whoosh behind me close enough to part my hair, and cars in front of me continue to turn right on red as if “caution” meant “stay out of my way.”

What is the law concerning cars and pedestrians in crosswalks? While I watch out for my own skin as carefully as I can, I do hope that what these aggressive drivers are doing is illegal.

Amy Stuart, Irvine

You’re right to be upset if cars are infringing on your space. Pedestrians have the right of way when crossing the street in a safe and legal manner, and using a crosswalk is the safest method, according to Richard Worcester, a senior traffic officer in Irvine.

Motorists should not proceed through a crosswalk or near a pedestrian in a way that is unsafe, Worcester said. While what is “safe” can be open to interpretation, he said it’s fair to say a pedestrian should not have to stop walking or run quickly to avoid a vehicle.

Those motorists turning right should double-check and make certain no pedestrian is about to step off the curb, Worcester said. They should also watch for pedestrians coming along the crosswalk from the other direction. Left-turning motorists should not make their turns until pedestrians are completely out of their way.

Pedestrians also need to be wise enough to look out for themselves, as you do. There’s no way they’ll win a confrontation with an automobile if it doesn’t stop. Worcester passed on some tips from an Auto Club brochure that pedestrians should follow:

* Cross only at corners.

* Always use a crosswalk when possible. Even then, use caution, as crosswalks are no guarantee against being hit.

* Cross only on a new green light, so there is plenty of time to make it across the street.

* Use the WALK signal when available.

* Look all ways before crossing the street. Especially watch for cars turning left or right.

* Never cross from between parked cars. Drivers can’t see you.

* Walk on the left side of the road, facing traffic, if sidewalks are not provided, so you can see oncoming traffic--it’s the law.

* Wear light colors or carry something white at night, to help drivers see you.

Anyone who would like a copy of the brochure may leave name and address on Worcester’s answering machine at (714) 724-7048.

Dear Street Smart:

There is a great deal of earth-moving and construction on the east side of the Santa Ana River, from the San Diego Freeway to the ocean. Are they building a road from the freeway to Pacific Coast Highway?

Lee F. Aubel, Brea

No such luck. The work you see is meant to save us from a flood, not traffic jams. The river channel is being widened and deepened in that area, the first phase of a federal flood control project that extends for 24 miles along the river, according to William Zaun, director of public works for the county’s Environmental Management Agency.

Dear Street Smart:

I drive the Santa Ana Freeway between Laguna Niguel and Anaheim everyday. I have followed the construction closely and am curious about a couple of issues.

When will the work begin between Red Hill Avenue and the Costa Mesa Freeway, and when will it be completed?

When will construction begin north of the Costa Mesa Freeway, and how far north will the widening go?

Is there a diagram available showing how many lanes the completed freeway will have?

John Terry, Laguna Niguel

I have answers to all your questions, but let’s review what’s going on along the Santa Ana Freeway, so that it will make more sense.

Caltrans is working to widen the freeway to six lanes in each direction, with one lane each way reserved for car pools, according to Caltrans spokesman Albert Miranda.

The widening extends from the Santa Ana’s merger with the San Diego Freeway in the south to the Santa Ana-Garden Grove-Orange Freeway interchange in the north. The entire project, which includes reconstruction of two interchanges along the way, is expected to be finished by early 1996.

The first portion of widening, from the south end up to Red Hill, began in 1988 and will continue through 1992. Widening from Red Hill Avenue to Concord Street (which is just north of 4th Street), will begin in October and last until late 1994 or early 1995.

Widening will continue in three more segments beyond Concord, with construction on the first segment beginning in mid-1992 and ending when the entire project is complete.

Although some segments will be finished before others, such as those in the south, additional lanes won’t open until the Santa Ana-Costa Mesa and Santa Ana-Garden Grove-Orange interchanges are rebuilt. There’s no sense in making six lanes merge back into three because of the roadwork, Miranda said.

For the section south of the Santa Ana-Costa Mesa interchange, that means the expanded lanes won’t open until late 1994. North of that point, the project completion date of early 1996 is when you will see extra lanes open.

As for an overall diagram, Caltrans only has information sheets for some of the projects currently under way. If you would like them, contact the Caltrans Help Line number for construction projects at (714) 768-4CAL.

Caltrans also plans to widen further north of the current project area. Look for a Santa Ana Freeway with six lanes in each direction going from the Santa Ana-Garden Grove-Orange interchange up to the Artesia-Riverside Freeway. But don’t look right away--work probably won’t begin until after the year 2000, Miranda said.