Crossing Flags - Crossing Streets...

In 2008 the City of Seattle carried out a study to evaluate the effectiveness of pedestrian crossing flags at crosswalks around the city. The bright yellow flags are located on either side of a street crosswalk where they can be waved while crossing and then placed into a receptacle on the other side. The initial study in Seattle, later expanded to other regional cities, such as Kirkland (shown above), and Woodinville, not to mention other states (Utah and Idaho), so clearly some merit was seen in their use. The example above is an uncontrolled crossing, there is no traffic light; other than pedestrians in the crosswalk, there is no reason for drivers to stop, thus waving flags provide an additional visual cue. It is one of those things that we would like to believe is not necessary, but are all too often proven wrong in that belief.