Thursday, March 28, 2024

New Curb Bulb-Outs Designed to Increase Pedestrian Safety Crossing Ocean Boulevard

 

Ocean Boulevard bulb-out
A city rendering vs. the finished bulb-outs.

There’s a new addition along Ocean Boulevard in Coronado: bulb-outs jutting from sidewalks at crosswalks, which were completed last summer.

They’re a safety feature; by extending the sidewalk, pedestrians entering the crosswalk are more visible to cars who must yield to them. Without the bulb-outs, parked cars block pedestrians and the crosswalks themselves are less visual. The United States Department of Transportation reports that bulb-outs and other traffic-calming techniques decrease pedestrian collisions.

Recently though, a post and ensuing discussion on a Coronado Facebook group raised questions of safety for cars or cyclists who might hit the bulb-outs, especially when there are no parked cars.

Ocean Boulevard sidewalk bulb-out with no parked cars 2023-02-18

As for Coronado’s bulb-outs, there have been no reported accidents involving a vehicle or bicyclist striking one them, according to Andrea McCullough, Communications & Engagement Officer for the City of Coronado. The city is currently looking into improvements to increase nighttime visibility of the bulb-outs.

Ocean Boulevard sidewalk bulb-out with nearby parked cars 2023-02-18

A Transportation Research Record study found that cities with these features experienced lower vehicle speeds and increased the number of pedestrians who crossed in a designated crosswalk. However, high-visibility crosswalks – including raised pathways and flashing lights – yielded the best safety outcomes, researchers found.

 



Megan Kitt
Megan Kitt
Megan has worked as a reporter for more than 15 years, and her work in both print and digital journalism has been published in more than 25 publications worldwide. She is also an award-winning photographer. She holds BA degrees in journalism, English literature and creative writing and an MA degree in creative writing and literature. She believes a quality news publication's purpose is to strengthen a community through informative and connective reporting.Megan is also a mother of three and a Navy spouse. After living around the world both as a journalist and as a military spouse, she immediately fell in love with San Diego and Coronado for her family's long-term home.Have news to share? Send tips, story ideas or letters to the editor to: [email protected]

More Local News