victoria thayer

Thu, Nov 4, 2010 : 11:03 a.m.

I think it is long overdue to set up crosswalks for Motel visitors to cross Carpenter Rd. There are resturants/motels on both sides of the road and it is logical that visitors would want to cross the street for meals, etc. The corner is a long way down and that light is one of the longest in town! Going the other direction there isn't a cross walk until Packard Rd. Who wouldn't J-walk? A quick fix would save lives/injuries and be more "visitor friendly!" What a ya say Pittsfield Township Planning Commission? (More lights, less pot holes on Carpenter Rd would be a great asset as well!) ~one voice

Jaime

Thu, Nov 4, 2010 : 10:52 a.m.

There is really no good way for pedestrians to cross Carpenter Road except where there is a traffic light. That means that you cross at Washtenaw, Packard, by Kroger, Target or Ellsworth. Five lanes and no safe havens. There really should be a pedestrian island or two in between these lights. Especially near the American Home complex.

thirdcity

Thu, Nov 4, 2010 : 9:44 a.m.

The gentleman was struck in front of Red Lobster as we were departing. Although what we heard was clearly the impact of a car striking something, the lighting conditions were too poor to clearly see what had occurred other than it was a single vehicle accident. He may have been heading to the hotel across the street.

Ron

Thu, Nov 4, 2010 : 9:03 a.m.

Malorie - no, the wheelchair incident happened farther south near Carpenter Place, apparently north of the Valley Center Drive crossing. That was in broad daylight, too. (See Vehicle hits man in wheelchair in Pittsfield Township.) A pedestrian bridge would be nice if the County & Township had the funds to pay for one. The good news is (albeit a little late for the gentleman who was struck last night), the County has plans to resurface Carpenter Rd between Washtenaw and Packard in 2011. Time to start pressing them for lights and crossings!

Killroy

Thu, Nov 4, 2010 : 8:58 a.m.

That intersection is even dangerous riding in a vehicle. i would never try to cross on foot. This is a key example infrastructure expanding, but failing to provide equal and safe passage for pedestrians. A real shame. A pedestrian bridge could have prevented this.

Ron

Thu, Nov 4, 2010 : 8:47 a.m.

Impertinent comments aside, skigrl50 makes a good point - there aren't enough crossing points along that stretch of road. However, being that the speed limit is 45 mph, it's hard to imagine that even a "safety island" would offer much in the way of safety. Better lighting *and* safety islands, now there's a combination that might work. Unfortunately, ticketing pedestrians isn't likely to result in jaywalkers' behavior modification. And it would might increase the risk of an officer being injured.

Mark A.

Thu, Nov 4, 2010 : 8:43 a.m.

I see people crossing all the time right there, and usually the traffic is so bad and the road so wide, that they do the crossing one lane at a time, standing on the white dashed line between lanes of traffic as traffic flies by them. As Ron pointed out, I think it's because the sidewalk ends on the West side. People cross over to the East side when the sidewalk ends there in front of Nye. They should really extend the sidewalk or put a crosswalk there.

**

Thu, Nov 4, 2010 : 8:15 a.m.

Since when is public transportation a "special interest"?

SpartyInExile

Thu, Nov 4, 2010 : 7:22 a.m.

It is amazing how every story brings out at least one of three special interest groups; public transportation, bicycles, and marijuana.

skigrl50

Thu, Nov 4, 2010 : 6:36 a.m.

Perhaps the Pittsfield Township Police should start to ticket jaywalkers and the people that regularly ride bikes in the dark with no lights down the middle of the turn lane or ride into oncoming traffic especially on Carpenter, Packard and Michigan Avenue. The cross walks on Carpenter are near a half mile apart, that is much too far apart for all of the pedestrian traffic at the Washtenaw end of Carpenter Road.

skigrl50

Thu, Nov 4, 2010 : 6:28 a.m.

Perhaps the Pittsfield Township Police should start to ticket jaywalkers and the people that regularly ride bikes in the dark with no lights down the middle of the turn lane or ride into oncoming traffic especially on Carpenter, Packard and Michigan Avenue. The cross walks on Carpenter are near a half mile apart, that is much too far apart for all of the pedestrian traffic at the Washtenaw end of Carpenter Road.

jns131

Thu, Nov 4, 2010 : 6:19 a.m.

Carpenter road was re built with sidewalks which it did not have and was a dangerous 3 lane road which to me is now a super highway and more deadlier then ever. You need to stop for pedestrians crossing in cross walks, but if you cross without being in one on Carpenter you are taking your life into your own hands. If there are no lights in the area it is hard to see anyone crossing the road. Especially that black top and being pitch black after 7. I too have to really look when coming into an intersection because pedestrians are hard to see. As for public transit? AATA does not go beyond Michigan ave. Where he was crossing I don't know because all lights do have cross walks. Although I do agree with one thing. Pedestrians do not walk at lights. They cross where they feel like crossing and then again is another accident waiting to happen like this happened last nite. Prayers to the family and hopefully my tax dollars will figure out another way to keep this from happening again. I really don't think alcohol had a factor in this one because I have driven Carpenter after dark and it is not fun. Can't have lights everywhere. By the way it is funner to try to cross streets in downtown Detroit. They do not stop even if the lights are blinking.

donderop

Thu, Nov 4, 2010 : 3:07 a.m.

It amazes me that senior/assisted living apartments are often built in places where there are no services nearby: grocery stores and pharmacies, medical care, etc., -- or at least not easily accessible. Imagine trying to cross a busy street, like Carpenter, when you're physically compromised. Those who can afford the upscale senior complexes are fortunate -- the rest have to try to figure out how to take care of themselves on limited incomes without benefit of a personal vehicle or assistance. We can do much better! Condolences to the victim's family and to the young driver.

Ron

Thu, Nov 4, 2010 : 12:01 a.m.

It's hard to guess why an octogenarian would be crossing Carpenter on foot in that area, apparently without benefit of a crosswalk, but there are about three restaurants, several hotels, a funeral home, and numerous small offices and single-family homes just south of the Carpenter/Washtenaw intersection. It doesn't sound like the individual was anywhere near a crosswalk. There's some sidewalk on both side of the street for a portion of that area but it stops in front of the funeral home (west side) and just south of Comfort Inn (east side) until you get down toward Central Blvd - and there are no street lights in that area. If there are any close to Washtenaw, they're grossly ineffective. I often encounter people crossing Carpenter Rd at random places, most often at night, and very often the pedestrian is dressed in dark clothes from head to toe so you can't see them until it's darned-near too late. I'm not sure the availability of public transportation would have made the difference if this person was just trying to get back to the hotel from the restaurant and decided to chance it by crossing mid-block rather than going the extra distance to the crosswalk. That intersection isn't a safe place to cross, either, being so poorly lit. It's just a bad situation all around. This is really unfortunate.

ToddAustin

Wed, Nov 3, 2010 : 8:50 p.m.

This is so horribly sad. My heart goes out to the victim's family and to the young man who may have been responsible. This is just one more reason why we need substantial improvements to our public transportation system. Why did this elderly gentleman find it necessary to navigate this busy road on foot?

d_a2

Wed, Nov 3, 2010 : 8:48 p.m.

i think right there on carpenter between the Meier/Target plaza and the Home Depot/Kroger plaza is an assisted living home. I've seen elderly people in that area walking along the sidewalk quite often.

M.

Wed, Nov 3, 2010 : 8:03 p.m.

Isn't this the same spot that a man being pushed in a wheelchair was just struck by a car a week or two ago? This is a horrible area to be a pedestrian; there is so much traffic at the intersection of Washtenaw and Carpenter that I've went a bit further down Carpenter myself to cross because it seemed safer and easier than the actual crosswalk.