[nfbwatlk] FW: Inaccessible/dangerous traffic signal

[Joanne Laurent]

Here's the reply I got from the city: 
From: Campos, Jennifer [mailto:Jennifer.Campos at ci.vancouver.wa.us] 
Sent: Monday, November 24, 2008 1:41 PM
To: Joanne Laurent
Cc: Bess, Bob; McDonald, LeAnn; Stewart, Judy; Ransom, Matt;
waltg at c-tran.org; robertsellers500 at comcast.net; rwsellers at bpa.gov; Doug
Trimble; Judy Koch-Smith; Shelly Brown; Krisk at arcofclarkcounty.org; DSB -
Dan Arnold
Subject: RE: Inaccessible/dangerous traffic signal
 
Joanne,
            Thank you for bringing this issue to our attention.  This is a
challenging intersection due to the offset of the intersecting roads and the
age of the signal equipment.  We have forwarded this on to our traffic
engineer and due to the age of the control box for the signal, we are unable
to make the change at this time.  He will be discussing the problem at a
meeting this week with our signal crew, so I will let you know if there are
any other immediate changes that can be made to make the situation safer.
 
Jennifer Campos
 
  _____  

From: Judy Koch-Smith [mailto:Judy.Koch at wssb.wa.gov] 
Sent: Friday, November 21, 2008 11:13 AM
To: Joanne Laurent; Campos, Jennifer; DSB - Dan Arnold; waltg at c-tran.org;
Krisk at arcofclarkcounty.org; rwsellers at bpa.gov; robertsellers500 at comcast.net
Cc: Bess, Bob; McDonald, LeAnn; Stewart, Judy; Ransom, Matt; Doug Trimble;
Shelly Brown
Subject: RE: Inaccessible/dangerous traffic signal
 
Thank you for sharing this observation JoAnne.  
 
A few of the Audible Ped Signals also need some "maintenance" because the
auditory alert is broken or working only half of the time:  Mill Plain &
Grand Blvd, McLoughlin & E. Reserve Street.  There may be a few more that I
haven't yet noticed.
Thanks, 
 
Judy Koch Smith, Certified O&M Specialist
WSSB
696-6321, ext. 192
 
  _____  

From: Joanne Laurent [mailto:joanne at blindcoach.com] 
Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2008 9:29 PM
To: 'Campos, Jennifer'; DSB - Dan Arnold; waltg at c-tran.org; Judy Koch-Smith;
Krisk at arcofclarkcounty.org; tonysuel at aol.com; jmagana42 at aol.com;
odysseyman400 at yahoo.com; rwsellers at bpa.gov; robertsellers500 at comcast.net;
cmcooper2 at comcast.net
Cc: 'Bess, Bob'; 'McDonald, LeAnn'; 'Stewart, Judy'; 'Ransom, Matt'
Subject: RE: Inaccessible/dangerous traffic signal
 
I have just discovered a traffic signal that is programmed in a most
dangerous manner making non-visual crossing impossible. I am requesting that
the signal be changed immediately before someone is killed.
 
This concerns the north/south crossing on the east side of Broadway & Fourth
Plain. (I did not check the west side).
 
As most of you know, blind people use the flow of adjacent parallel traffic
to determine when the light is green so they can cross safely. (this means a
traveler on the east side of Broadway who wishes to cross Fourth Plain,
either north or south, must cross during north bound traffic flow).
 The above mentioned signal deviates from normal light patterns. 
 
This intersection is very unusual in that it provides the walk signal during
the time when the needed traffic flow is stopped. When the north bound
traffic has a green light the pedestrian's light remains red. The reason the
pedestrian's light is red (during the time it customarily says "walk") is
because the north bound green light is combined with a right-turn green
arrow. Please eliminate this right-turn arrow (or program it to go on during
a separate left turn cycle). Please make sure that straight-ahead traffic
ALWAYS coincides with the same side pedestrian walk signal. 
 
Please feel free to call me if you have any questions. Thank you for your
immediate attention to this matter.
 
Joanne Laurent
Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist
If you can't learn it, I'm not teaching it right!
 <http://www.blindcoach.com/> www.blindcoach.com
 
Highest Expectations Travel and Adaptive Skills Instruction for the Blind
P.O. Box 586 Ariel, WA 98603
(360) 231-4597 
 
 
From: Campos, Jennifer [mailto:Jennifer.Campos at ci.vancouver.wa.us] 
Sent: Thursday, March 27, 2008 11:45 AM
To: danarnold at dsb.wa.gov; Campos, Jennifer; waltg at c-tran.org;
Judy.Koch at wssb.wa.gov; Krisk at arcofclarkcounty.org; tonysuel at aol.com;
jmagana42 at aol.com; odysseyman400 at yahoo.com; rwsellers at bpa.gov;
robertsellers500 at comcast.net; cmcooper2 at comcast.net; Joanne Laurent
Cc: Bess, Bob; McDonald, LeAnn; Stewart, Judy; Ransom, Matt
Subject: Citizen Information contact list
 
Hi everyone,
        Based on the discussions we had at Tuesday's meeting, I have put
together a list of different topics or issues and what phone numbers you can
use to call for questions or concerns.  Let me know if there is something on
this list you don't see and I can add that in.
Jennifer
<<Department contact numbers.doc>>