San Rafael, CA – Improving public safety is the cornerstone of every project that the Marin County Department of Public Works (DPW) undertakes. To improve pedestrian safety, DPW has been installing enhanced crosswalk treatments throughout unincorporated Marin County. One such upgrade will be implemented Friday, January 28, at the Washington Avenue crossing of North San Pedro Road in the Santa Venetia neighborhood of unincorporated San Rafael.
The intersection of North San Pedro Drive and Washington Avenue in the Santa Venetia area is near several schools.The upgrades will take place near the Abbey Montessori Preschool, the Marin School, and Venetia Valley Elementary School, just a few hundred yards east of the Marin County Civic Center. Which crosswalks receive enhancement treatments is driven by data that shows significant pedestrian activity or when the crossing is near a school. The intersection is also near a church, a synagogue / community center, and several residential facilities for seniors.
The enhancements, similar to what other public works agencies are doing in the incorporated towns and cities of Marin, include adding upgraded striping and signage to provide clarity to drivers on where to safely stop. That entails additional pavement markings leading up to the intersection.
The enhanced crosswalk protocol is a proven solution for encouraging drivers to safely stop far enough in advance of crosswalks. The resulting set up also allows pedestrians to see if a vehicle is stopping in advance of entering the crosswalk, giving them time to respond accordingly. Efforts such as this have been shown to reduce incidents between drivers and pedestrians by 67%.
The work will be performed by County Road Maintenance staff and is funded by the DPW’s maintenance budget. The single day of work will have minimal impact to drivers as the traffic will be shifted to the median lane as needed. However, there may be short delays in traffic flow to allow the crew to safely conduct certain aspects of the project.