Impediments to pedestrian travel

In and around Pittsburgh, there are many signs forbidding pedestrians from crossing intersections. Some of these signs are justified while others can make pedestrian travel difficult if not impossible.

The signs on Butler St. at 57th St. I believe is justified for safety purposes. The sign prohibit pedestrians from crossing Butler St. where buildings obstruct motorists' views. It is a minor inconvenience, but not a major problem.

Butler St. at 57th St.

The signs on Black St at Chislett St. is not justified. They can make travel to the bus stop on Black St. opposite Chislett St. require crossing Chislett St. prior to crossing Black St. to reach the other side of this T intersection. The most inconvenient of them all is on Negley Ave. at Baum Blvd. Pedestrians are prohibited from crossing Negley Ave. on the northern side of the intersection. Due to this, walking from the Shell gasoline station that is in the picture to the Aldi grocery store behind me on Baum Blvd. requires crossing the four lanes of Baum Blvd. twice. I can see that it is dangerous to cross because of the angle of the intersection. This intersection should have an exclusive pedestrian interval just like there is one block south at Center Ave.

Black St at Chislett St.

Euclid Ave. at Penn Ave.

Main St. at 18th St.

 

 

 

Negley Ave. at Baum Blvd.

Here is a place where I think some of these signs should be placed, but they do not exist.

Liberty Ave. at 40th St.

At this intersection, most of the traffic turns left from 40th St. which is behind the camera. Prohibiting crossing here and making pedestrians cross on the right side would dramatically increase pedestrian safety as very little traffic proceeds straight or turns right.