City Council member requests tweaking Ann Arbor's crosswalk ordinance.
Third Ward council representative, Stephen Kunselman, thinks motorists should only have to stop for pedestrians waiting at a crosswalk if it is safe for them to do so. This is stricter than the state traffic code, which doesn't require motorists to brake unless a pedestrian is in the crosswalk, but it provides more flexibility than Ann Arbor's current law. Kunselman ultimately believes that "laws that are not reflective of the state law, and you have visitors coming from all around who have no idea of what [the] local law is, it is certainly a problem."
The city's Pedestrian Safety Task Force has recommended the issue be postponed for further review, and to see if state lawmakers address the issue. Representative from Ann Arbor, Adam Zemke, has been pushing for a statewide crosswalk law.
Like 89.1 WEMU on Facebook and follow us on Twitter— Andrew Cluley is the Ann Arbor beat reporter, and anchor for 89.1 WEMU News. Contact him at 734.487.3363 or email him acluley@emich.edu.