La Crosse needs to do more to promote pedestrian safety

The safety of bicyclists and pedestrians is important. The city of La Crosse has taken steps to ensure that safety, but it is clear more needs to be done. On King Street and elsewhere, this summer the city created bump-outs to slow traffic. They more recently painted signs on the street indicating a bicycle right of way. Those are good steps. But I recently noticed that at the two new roundabouts on King Street, at the intersections of 9th and 11th, those roundabouts are very hard to see after dark. There is little in the way of reflective messages. The roundabout itself is not lit, and at both intersections there are no street lights, so this time of year, after 6pm it is quite dark, presenting possible dangers between pedestrians and drivers who may be unaware of the roundabouts. The city also painted bright white lines at some intersections to make it clear it is a pedestrian crossing. But after work was done at 4th and King this summer when they had to repair a water main, new cross walks were not painted after the hole was patched up. That work was completed months ago, but still no fresh paint. Even when there were crosswalks there, trying to cross 4th Street was hazardous. Now without the white lines it is even more so. Elsewhere in the city a number of crosswalk markings have become so faded they are nearly impossible to see. It is good the city has taken some steps to ensure the safety of bicyclists and pedestrians, but it looks like the job has yet to be finished.