And like most riders who either need to transfer from those three routes or shop at the mall, Bearfield maneuvered around the visibility-blocking buses parked on the street and tried jaywalking. It's a common occurrence. The nearest crosswalk to the stop is about 300 feet away at 68th Street, and many passengers see little reason to walk out of their way, especially if they're running late. Some of these people aren't fast walkers like me. City officials said they've been well aware of the problem since the stops were installed in December, despite any claims to the contrary by critics.
Human nature is human nature.
It's real and we need to deal with it. The bus stops, which were originally located in the mall, were moved to the street by the PSTA in a compromise with mall officials who were concerned about heavy traffic, wear and tear and safety concerns in their parking lot. Rao said his office is expecting to unveil a low-cost plan by the end of the week that would improve the situation by seeking to install a crosswalk in front of Burger King. The rest of the plan calls for planting shrubbery on the median to direct people to the crosswalk, installing overhead sensors that flash warning lights when pedestrians are in the intersection and reducing the number of buses that are allowed to stop on the south side of 22nd Avenue N, Rao said. Engineers would also have to install ramps on the median to meet requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.