Step on a crack, report again: Costa Mesa seeking feedback on pedestrian hazards during walk audits

The city of Costa Mesa wants to be more walkable, but exactly and how exactly the walking experience can be improved literally has to be determined step by step.

With this in mind, employees of the public services department have organized a series of six walking tests with which interested citizens can navigate pedestrian corridors in a socially distant group and follow hazards in real time.

The first audit took place on Wednesday near Triangle Square on Costa Mesa and attracted around 15 people, including residents and city employees.

Raja Sethuraman, director of public services, who wore sneakers on Wednesday, said the audits will play a critical role as the city develops a pedestrian master plan to identify and correct any hazards that hikers face while crossing the streets exposed to the city.

Roger Pelayo (left) from Koa Consulting with city worker Jennifer Rosales examines a card for a walking audit on Wednesday.

(Scott Smeltzer / employee photographer)

A master plan will drive the creation of guidelines and facilities aimed at improving walkability and directing funding where it is needed most. Working on a grant from the Southern California Assn. The city has allocated about $ 135,000 from the government for the project, Sethuraman said.

“Many cities have traffic plans that are more focused on road and vehicle traffic, and sidewalks have standards, but they are general standards,” he added. “Such an audit gives us a better perspective. If you just do the plan in the office, you will have no idea about the details and tiny things that we can do. “

Led by representatives from Koa Consulting, Inc., a group of pedestrian researchers in neon green gowns with cellphones and clipboards in hand ventured down 19th Street to see what they could find.

Advisors, city officials and officials walk down 19th Street in Costa Mesa during a walking audit Wednesday.

(Scott Smeltzer / employee photographer)

Less than 100 steps on their journey, they began to see danger.

A vehicle attempting to turn right from a mall had pulled up well before a traffic obstruction and forced a pedestrian to swerve between the cars to cross the lane. Nearby, abandoned metal kiosks jutted out at unsafe angles, restricting passage.

The examiners were asked to scan a QR code which they could use to photograph their results and “pin” them on an interactive map with notes on what they saw.

Jennifer Rosales, manager of transportation services, said anyone who walks in Costa Mesa can visit the project’s website at bit.ly/CMPMP-WA to take a survey and learn how to use the public feedback tool used for his own city tours.

Costa Mesa Planning Commissioner Dianne Russell is filling out a pamphlet on pedestrian testing on Wednesday March 31st.

(Scott Smeltzer / employee photographer)

During Wednesday’s audit, Flo Martin, who has lived on Costa Mesa for 54 years and is a member of the city’s Bikeway and Walkability Committee, documented evidence with her cell phone camera.

“Drivers are currently – and I’m not crushing words – reckless and they don’t care about pedestrians,” she said. “And it’s getting worse.”

Martin said that a few weeks ago he was almost hit by a distracted driver on a signaled zebra crossing on Harbor Boulevard and Peterson Place.

“On the way home I collapsed on foot and cried because I realized I almost bought the farm,” said the 79-year-old.

Blaise Patzkowsi, 33, from Costa Mesa tried to nail part of a sidewalk outside a coffee bean and tea leaf where tree roots had cracked and uprooted concrete. As a lawyer who has worked extensively on personal injury cases, he knows the dangers that such scenes can bring.

“I actually portrayed a woman whose heel got into a crack in a parking lot,” said Patzkowski, emphasizing the importance of identifying safety problems before someone is injured.

“This is a great opportunity to look for things that could be improved and made safer,” he added. “If that happens, maybe no one needs a personal injury attorney.”

Future walk audits are planned for Saturday and April 10th from 10am to 12pm, for April 7th and 14th from 1pm to 3pm and on April 15th from 9am to 11am. For more information, please visit bit.ly/CMPMP-WA or email Lorena Hernandez at [email protected].

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