New crosswalk signage and pavement markings result in some traffic changes on newly paved roadways through Waukon

Motorists and pedestrians in Waukon need to be aware of some additional traffic changes being implemented now that the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) repaving project for State Highways 9 and 76 through Waukon is nearing completion. Those changes center around new pedestrian crosswalk signage and markings in several locations in the downtown, Main Street and Allamakee Street areas of the newly paved roadways.

New signs (pictured in the accompanying photos below) that have been placed in the middle of those newly paved streets in six different locations in the interest of pedestrian and student safety should serve as reminders to all motorists to yield to pedestrians in the crosswalks at these - and all - crosswalk locations, a change from previous signage placed in some of those same locations three years ago.

Some may remember that those previous signs included a red “STOP” sign instead of the current “YIELD” sign evident in the photos, previously causing confusion for some motorists, who stopped at each sign due to the stop sign symbol whether there was a pedestrian nearby or not and, thus, caused some rear-end collision situations. Each of those crosswalks with signage in the middle of the street reminds drivers that all vehicles yield (which may require a full stop) to pedestrians who are in the crosswalk.

NO MORE STOP SIGNS
The greatest change will be at the intersections of West Main Street and Second Street (the Post Office location - pictured in the accompanying photos) and West Main Street and Fifth Street (near Gus & Tony’s). Those two intersections have historically had Main Street traffic controlled by stop signs wheeled into the intersection during the school day, creating a four-way stop intersection during those times.

Waukon Street Superintendent Keith Burrett advises that will no longer be the case at either of these intersections, as the new signs placed within these two intersections will only require motorists driving on Main Street to “yield” to pedestrians in those crosswalk areas, although that yielding may sometimes require vehicles to come to a complete stop. Burrett explained that the wheeled stop signs previously used were not in accordance with DOT specifications for such intersections.

Burrett further advised that as long as there is no threat of winter weather that would require snow plowing or sanding of roadways, the new signs are anticipated to be in place continuously at their current locations. Once winter weather does arrive, those signs are only expected to be put in place during the day, being removed by early evening so snow removal crews can perform their duties uninhibited but put back in place prior to the start of the school day.

WEST MAIN TRAFFIC NO LONGER STOPS
Motorists approaching those West Main Street intersections from those two cross streets, both Second Street NW or SW and Fifth Street NW or SW, need to be aware that the Main Street traffic will no longer be required to stop at those intersections, as it previously had. The row of large white triangles painted on the roadway (as evident in the accompanying photos) at those intersections are U.S. Department of Transportation markings indicating a motorist yield, and should serve as a reminder for both motorists and pedestrians of that possible yield.

OTHER CHANGES IN MARKINGS
Motorists and pedestrians will likely also notice the different crosswalk markings on the new paving at some crosswalk intersections. The thick white bars currently in place (evident in the accompanying photos) have replaced the previous double lines connected by diagonal lines that are still in use on some City streets. Those thick white bar crossings were scheduled to be completed at all the newly signed crosswalk areas late last week, but the threat of rain and colder weather Thursday and Friday postponed that plan until this week.

PEDESTRIAN RIGHT-OF-WAY
Local law enforcement had previously advised (in 2016 when the previous in-street crosswalk signs had first been utilized) that crosswalk signs (such as those in 2016 or the new ones currently in place) have been placed to help raise more awareness of a State of Iowa law that has not necessarily been adhered to. Section 321.327 of the Iowa Code, entitled “Pedestrians’ Right-Of-Way,” states:

“Where traffic-control signals are not in place or in operation, the driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way, slowing down or stopping if need be to so yield, to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection.”

OTHER INTERSECTIONS
In addition to the new crosswalk signs at the Post Office and Gus & Tony’s intersections on West Main Street, those signs have also been placed by Kwik Star on Spring Avenue, at the intersection of Third Avenue NW/NE and Allamakee Street, by Waukon State Bank on Main Street and at the former C-Mart property intersection of Sixth Street and West Main Street to further assist students in crossing those busy State Highway intersections. Despite those intersections being the only areas marked with the new signs, local law enforcement has advised that the law applies to all crosswalks, with or without signs.

Law enforcement authorities have also previously advised pedestrians that motorists are only required to yield at crosswalks when a pedestrian is crossing or waiting to cross, and that pedestrians need to actually step off the curb into the crosswalk to make their intention clear to motorists. However, pedestrians also need to be observant and not assume a vehicle will stop just because they are in the crosswalk.