Downtown Kalamazoo May Adopt The Pedestrian Scramble

Pedestrians may have the right away but they are always in danger when motor vehicles that weigh thousands of pounds are going upwards of 30mph. Every year hundreds of humans are hit by moving vehicles and cities around the world have been trying to find ways to become safer.

We have seen this trend make its way to Kalamazoo as in the last few years we have seen changes made to sidewalks, bike lanes, crosswalks, and even the proposal of two-way streets. All of these changes are in the name of making driving and walking around the city safer. Another idea has come up, the pedestrian scramble and it just may work.

The idea hails from the lands that exist overseas and is just crazy enough of a concept that I could see Kalamazoo falling in love with the idea. In countries all through Europe and now cities around the United States, these pedestrian scrambles are popping up and are having a positive impact on safety.

The pedestrian scramble idea is a free-for-all cross-walking for pedestrians in any direction. Of course, this immediately doesn't make sense to us but I'm about to blow your mind. In order for this to work all of the lights at an intersection would be red, allowing for those on foot to travel in any direction of the intersection at that time.

This will allow for diagonal crossing lanes in these intersections and will promote more foot traffic through downtown while making it safer at the same time. Do you think this could work? What are your opinions on the idea?