To yield is to “to give as a due or of right, or as demanded or required,” according to the OED or if you prefer Merriam-Webster, it is “to relinquish one’s possession of (something, such as a position of advantage or point of superiority).”
Many of us have been yielding for the past few months, putting aside our own preferences for convenience and freedom to heighten the chances that our neighbors remain alive and healthy. This selflessness is something we can continue long after this pandemic is but a memory.
Pedestrian crosswalk signs have been re-installed citywide for the season, adding another layer of safety at 52 locations in Hartford. They remind motorists to yield to road users who are more vulnerable.
These centerline yield signs are intentionally placed on the yellow line, median, or equivalent at what are called “uncontrolled crosswalks.” That means crossing traffic does not have a stop sign or traffic light. That’s the current policy, anyway, for them in Hartford. Cities elsewhere have them at controlled and uncontrolled crosswalks.
The signs are designed for resilience. They can typically endure multiple strikes and bounce back. Those that get smacked off the line, or otherwise relocated, can be moved back; if assistance is needed, use the 311 app — take a picture and accurately describe the location. Anyone opting to fix these on his or her own should be careful for the obvious reasons. Expect the signs to be heavier than they look and make sure that they are facing the correct way — the message to yield faces those driving.
These were initially deployed in the Fall of 2018, then removed for snow season. It was observed last year and already this season that signs at a few locations were repeatedly moved off the line. According to Transport Hartford, “signs on the side of the road or moved to the sidewalk are much less effective at traffic calming and crosswalk yielding behavior change.”
Want one of these in your neighborhood? Notice a sign that does not remain in the middle of the road? Besides making requests on 311, Transport Hartford says that “it helps to amplify that request with a social media post and/or bringing it up in your NRZ meeting.”
Where would you like to see these signs installed?
