Jaywalkers treading dangerously downtown

05:31 PM CDT on Friday, June 3, 2005

By Doug Miller / 11 News

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Enoch Simpson makes his music on downtown streets.

KHOU-TV

Ed Latawiec readily admits, "I have jaywalked before, yes. I have not been caught jaywalking."

So every workday, he watches people on the street. And he's noticed a lot of them are in a hurry.

"You know, sometimes people have to get to work or get to the office on time," says Simpson.

And sometimes, people in a hurry break the rules.

When asked if he is a jaywalker, pedestrian Ed Latawiec replies, "I have jaywalked before, yes. I have not been caught jaywalking."

But soon, jaywalkers' luck may run out.

Houston Police will deploy specially assigned officers to key intersections downtown for a three-week period from June 13-30. Their assignment is to give out warnings and to give out tickets and not just to pedestrians.

Bicyclists riding on sidewalks could roll into trouble with police.

"Riding on the sidewalk, trying to weave in and out of pedestrians, you know, injuries can result just the same," says HPD Capt. Mary Lentschke.

Bicycle messengers readily admit they routinely break this law.

"They're perfectly justified in doing this, in trying to crack down on us," says bicycle messenger James Benitez. "When you think about it, it's for the better safety of the public."

People who break pedestrian laws downtown could face fines of up to $200.

Maybe that's enough to make people in hurry slow down and listen to the music.

The object of the crackdown is to ensure that the public complies with the transportation laws to assure their safety and the safety of others who share the downtown roadways and sidewalks.

Officers with the Metro Police Department have produced brochures that will be given to pedestrians as they walk in the downtown area and are working jointly with HPD on this initiative.

"The focus is on public safety and we at Metro want to ensure we do everything we can to inform the public about how to do just that," says Captain Milton O'Gilvie of the Metro Police Department.

Many people who now live, work, and visit downtown are crossing in mid-block or against the traffic signal to get across streets; bicyclists are riding on the sidewalks or against traffic; and motorists are speeding and running red lights.

The city released a study Friday that lists the top 10 intersections where jaywalkers and other pedestrian violations take place most often. Of the 7,045 total pedestrians observed, 25 percent (1,756) were in violation of pedestrian ordinances.

The majority of violations occurred during afternoon rush hour (53.5 percent), followed by the lunchtime crowd (29.5 percent). The remaining 17% occurred during the morning rush hour.

Top 10 intersections for violations:

Main at Lamar
San Jacinto at Preston
Travis and St. Joseph
Main at Preston
Louisiana at Polk
Main at Rusk
Smith at Walker
Louisiana at Lamar
Main at Dallas