More Springfield drivers yielding to pedestrians

The city of Springfield’s pedestrian safety program, SGF Yields, is celebrating a milestone, with 66.5% of drivers yielding to pedestrians in the city’s crosswalks.

The compliance rate was only 25% when the program was launched in 2017.

The third-quarter 2024 numbers reflect an all-time high for the program in six intersections across the city and were brought about by six months of yield checks and what a news release from the city describes as nearly constant infrastructure improvements and public engagement.

The program’s educational materials are available for free download on the city’s website to be used anywhere. A recognizable symbol of the program is Mr. Walker, a life-sized, neon-yellow outline of a person who matches the silhouette used on crosswalk signs but with the addition of a heart outline in his chest. Mr. Walker has been placed at various crosswalks throughout the city since the program began.

“The heart shape intuitively communicates a caring attitude,” the SGF Yields website states. “All of these attributes work together to achieve what is called ‘positive mental association’: People who have seen Mr. Walker tend to unconsciously transfer the idea of caring for walkers to all regular crossing signs of that color.”

The signs are at Boonville Avenue near Central Street, where 84% of drivers were found to yield to pedestrians; Grant Avenue near Talmage Street, 49%; Bennett Avenue at Delaware Street, 60%; Lone Pine Avenue near Allen Street, 57%; Broadmoor Street at Weaver Avenue, 31%; and St. Louis Street at the Expo Center, 73%

“Our data clearly shows that crosswalk enforcement is having a positive effect on all crosswalks, but enforcement is only one piece of our pedestrian safety program,” said Mandy Buettgen-Quinn, Springfield traffic safety professional, in the release. “Public Works is constantly adding and improving crosswalks, and we are also working hard to reach pedestrians and drivers with educational messages.” 

Crosswalk assessments are performed quarterly by the city’s Public Works Traffic Operations division. They evaluate driver compliance at six crosswalks on roadways with similar traffic speeds and characteristics. Two locations are studied each quarter as a control group. The remaining sites are selected from each of the four City Council zones. Results from each location are averaged to produce a snapshot of driver compliance across the city. When the assessments began in 2017, the percentage of drivers yielding to pedestrians at crosswalks was 25%. 

October is Pedestrian Safety Month.