Flags to help pedestrians cross deadly Highway 12/Verano intersection

After another pedestrian was killed in a crosswalk last week at the intersection of Verano Avenue and Highway 12, Sonoma County Public Infrastructure officials added buckets filled with traffic flags on Thursday to help people cross the troubled road safely.

Before the Jan. 16 death of 36-year-old Julio Estrada, at least two other pedestrians were struck and killed around the Verano-Highway 12 intersection in the past three years, in addition to multiple serious but non-fatal accidents. Caltrans, the state road agency that oversees the highway, did not respond to repeated requests for data about the number of accidents recorded at the intersection.

Jeffrey Weiss, a public information officer for Caltrans, said members of its executive team and highway operations met to discuss the issue on Monday, but did not have a prepared statement as of press time.

Supervisor Susan Gorin met with the county’s Public Infrastructure officials in the wake of the most recent tragedy to bring an interim solution to the area, she wrote in a Jan. 18 Facebook post. The intersection poses a unique governing challenge because Highway 12 is under the jurisdiction of the state, while all other roads belong to the county.

Gorin said she is scheduled to meet with Caltrans officials to address pedestrian safety concerns about the intersection in the first week of February. In the meantime, the flags aim to improve pedestrian safety.

“The Verano Avenue intersection experienced yet another tragic pedestrian fatality. Until Caltrans allocates the funding for necessary dedicated turn lane signals, I ask pedestrians to pick up and use a ‘See Me’ flag when crossing the intersection,“ Gorin wrote.

The “See Me” pennants are set for the public to use when walking across the street in addition to the crossing signal. A pedestrian picks up a flag to wave for added visibility, then returns it to a bucket after they cross the street.

According to an article by Wired, such flags have been used for crossing streets since 2000 when Salt Lake City businesses and schools began leaving reflective flags at problematic intersections.

Berkeley also took up the use of pedestrian traffic flags between 2001 and 2004, but ended the initiative because people kept stealing them, according to the article. The flags were “only used by 2% of pedestrians and use of flags did not have noticeable effect upon driver behavior.”

Sonoma residents expressed mixed opinions on the new safety measure.

“Those orange flags waved at 5,000-pound SUVs don't scare anyone,” Hans Kurz posted on Facebook.

Anne Shapiro added, “Anything to avoid putting blinking lights in the crosswalks. We are still waiting for Caltrans to approve those in the new crosswalks on Broadway in front of the high school and Jacob's restaurant. They just don't want to stop traffic for pedestrians on the highway. The flags will be gone in a day.”

Sonoma Valley resident Megan Cates said dark clothes on pedestrians at night is a concern for drivers.

“It is tragic yes, but I have had to slam on my brakes quite a few times for people in all dark clothes walking at night going against the walk signal. ... So it’s not all on Caltrans and drivers,” she wrote on the Index-Tribune’s Facebook page.

Laverne Mau Dicker, another Sonoma Valley resident, said the intersection was unsafe “even in daylight hours.”

“Many drivers are in a hurry and looking for cars, not people,” Mau Dicker wrote.

California Assembly member Cecilia Aguiar-Curry also has her sights set on this notorious intersection.

“I am heartbroken to hear of this pedestrian fatality,” Aguiar-Curry said. “My office will be reaching out to Caltrans and local elected officials to gather more information on this incredibly sad situation.”

Contact Chase Hunter at chase.hunter@sonomanews.com and follow @Chase_HunterB on Twitter.