Do Twin Falls Residents Crosswalk, or Do They Have to Cross-run?

Crosswalks are a protected zone for pedestrians, but some motorists treat them as a nuisance and blow right past them. Perhaps the crosswalks are new? Maybe the motorists are new to the area and aren’t familiar? Or it could be that drivers just don’t care.

Do Drivers in Twin Falls Know How Crosswalks Work?

Washington Street is 4 lanes in certain areas. If a car on the curbside stops for the pedestrian, but the car in the left lane flies through the intersection, the walker can’t see through the stopped car to see the next lane. It is the job of the motorist to realize that a car in the right lane is stopped for a pedestrian and stop as well. Other roads are marked, and sometimes even flagged. Walkers are crossing with the risk of drivers flying past in front of them, even if they're holding a bright orange flag.

Some crosswalks don’t have signs on the corners. This example is the intersections of Washington and Shoup and Washington and Heyburn. There are no crosswalk signs, but the roads are well-marked. Some drivers fly through even though other cars are stopped. Other drivers get rear-ended when the car behind them isn’t expecting a pedestrian. Either way, it has been scary to see.

These get blown through consistently as well. They are marked with painted lines on the road and with street signs and I still watch pedestrians being very careful as drivers don’t stop. Maybe because they are not a 4-way stop people don’t see the crosswalk?

Here is a bonus crosswalk situation at Washington and Falls and Washington and North College. There is a stoplight, but motorists turning right still have to pay attention to the crosswalk on the yield turn.

Does anyone want kids to walk to school safely? Then do not let them walk to school on Filer to Sparks. Not only do people never stop for pedestrians, but there are also no sidewalks to protect the precious progeny.

Even around CSI pedestrians aren’t safe. The top picture is North College between CSI Main Campus and the Health Sciences Building. Not even flags will protect pedestrians. In the center photo, Falls and Harrison is a crossing between 2 schools, CSI and Harrison Elementary. Are drivers going to watch there? Nope. The 3rd spot around CSI is Falls and Frontier. This is where people cross to go to the park, pickleball courts, and baseball fields, and yet attentive drivers seem to be racing past this area as well.

At least the Washington and Caswell intersection was upgraded with big red lights. It seems to be helping quite a bit and kids walking to school are safer.

If drivers don’t pay attention more, there will be consequences for all of us to pay, responsible or not. More stop signs, stoplights, or slower speed limits. These are scary crosswalks I see every day. At which crosswalks do you see trouble?

RELATED STORY: Where is it Safe to Walk in Twin Falls?