Merced may be a flat town, but that doesn't mean it's the friendliest place to walk or ride your bike -- especially if you need to cross the street.
Not only are crosswalks few and far between in most parts of town, but even when you find one they are hardly helpful.
Take for instance M Street at Olive Avenue. If you press the crosswalk button and expect to actually make it to the other side of the road before the green walk signal disappears, prepare to be disappointed.
Merced Sun-Star - Crosswalk signals don't give a person long enough time to cross the street before the steady hand "don't walk" appears.
The green signal only lasts until you reach the median strip. Then it changes to a flashing red hand. Do you run for it or wait? If you wait, you're in the middle of the road, stranded, as three lanes of traffic on both sides pass you by. Now I know why there are median strips. They are pedestrian traffic refuges.
So in the name of walkers and bikers across the city, Tip List thought it proper to find out what's going on.
First, with watch in hand, I went to G Street and Alexander Avenue to see how long the crosswalk light stays lit there.
The green walk light stayed lit for only five seconds. Then a flashing red hand blinked at me for roughly 20 seconds.
When I called the city, I was told by Mike Miller, the city's technology services manager, that the flashing hand means the countdown has begun, not that you can't walk anymore. (Only a few crosswalk signals have numbers actually counting down the time beside the red hand.)
Miller said most people know the flashing hand means your time is running out. But if people are still confused about the signal, the city could put an explanation on its Web site to explain, he said.
Miller said the city gets more complaints about crossing signals being too long, though, rather than too short.
Each crosswalk is checked regularly to make sure the crossing signals are running properly, he added. He said the timing can be changed. Each intersection's crossing time is set individually, and to reprogram them you must actually go to the intersection.
What is wrong: It seems crosswalk signals in Merced run way too fast.
Who is responsible: The city of Merced for not explaining that a flashing red hand means your time is not yet up.
Tip off the tip list!
If you see something broken or in need of repair in your neighborhood, call the Sun-Star Tip List reporter, Jonah Owen Lamb, with your tips at (209) 385-2484 or e-mail jlamb@mercedsun-star.com.
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