A new traffic light has been installed for the pedestrian road crossing on King Abdullah Boulevard located between the Palms Housing neighborhood and the new hotel. Proceed safely.
As such, pedestrians, including small children, will be using this crossing daily. HSE would like to remind all drivers that a red traffic light means you have to come to a complete stop before the crossing. Drivers should take care on this stretch of road and are strongly advised to reduce their speed on approach to the pedestrian crossing.
Drivers should be aware that cyclists and other forms of transport utilize this crossing. Anyone using this crosswalk is required to activate the red stoplight. However, drivers should be aware that may not always happen and actively watch for pedestrians, cyclists, and other forms of transport using the crosswalk. Drivers must take extreme caution when approaching this and all other pedestrian crossings in KAUST in either direction.
10 Comment
Thanks for the details, maybe you can look at adding some barrier at the crossing so children and cyclists do not come straight out onto the road and have to stop and look for traffic
yes, a great suggestin. I was going to suggest it myself. That traffic light needs pediasterian and a cyclist barrier that would force a cyclist to unmount and a pedestrian to maneuver OR simply put a ramp so cars will have to slow down.
Dear Alistair,
Thank you for your comment. HSE, with other stakeholders, is actively looking into the feasibility of several risk-appropriate safety options. We ask all road users to please exercise extreme caution when using or approaching crosswalks in KAUST.
So you put a 60 km/h speed limit sign a few hundred meters before and install a screen that shows a sad smile when someone’s driving 40+ km/h?
Since there is a traffic light, anyone who use this crossroad should obey the basic traffic law. Both car drivers and other forms of transport, including cyclist, pedestrians, skateboarders, roller skaters. The cross road or the streets are not someone’s backyard. So active the red light before crossing, if it is the green light, vehicles should preserve the road right or else the traffic light is meaningless.
Dear Jason,
Thank you for your comment. You touch on an important point: anyone using this crosswalk (or any other crosswalk in KAUST) is required to activate the red stoplight. Drivers should be aware that may not always happen and actively watch for pedestrians, cyclists, and other forms of transport using the crosswalk.
Is it normal to see a 60 km/h speed sign on the road, followed by a sad smile sign just before the crossing? As Roman mentioned. The text reads, “Drivers should also be aware that this crossing is used by cyclists and other modes of transportation who may not activate the red light.” – a what? This, in my humble opinion, is mixed messaging.
This street is used by all types of traffic, including heavy vehicles like buses and trucks. Crossing rules apply to pedestrians, cyclists, and all other modes of transportation. Otherwise, both parties will be jeopardized. HSE should clarify what this “sad smile” means on the road and what is expected of drivers, and expectations should be clear for anyone crossing, and they must activate the signal and allow enough time for traffic to stop safely before stepping onto the road.
Do you realize that you just encouraged cyclists and “other forms of transport” to violate the rules and put everyone in danger by stating this? The cyclist MUST get off the bike and WALK on foot when a pedestrian crossing is used, other forms of transport as well.
Please can you explain the security car in one lane of the road and the chap in the Hi-viz vest waving at the speed sign? both distracting to the driver. I am surprised these have not caused an accident.
If you are truly worried about the crossing then post a crossing helper to aid people who may want to cross at the crossing until you have some form of barrier system installed.
What is happening this week is going to cause an accident. Not sure who thinks having a security guard standing in the road at the busiest time of the day is helping.
HSE thanks you for your comments and active engagement in this discussion. Additional measures to increase the safe use of the crosswalk is underway. For example, you will notice that the speed signs approaching the crosswalk were changed from 60km/hour to 40km/hour. In addition, the red barriers that are in place and have been since the traffic lights were activated will be replaced with permanent barriers that continue to create the chicane effect forcing people to stop before crossing. Anyone using this crosswalk must press the stop sensor. Drivers are reminded to obey traffic signs and take extreme caution when approaching this and all other pedestrian crossings in KAUST in either direction.