Demand a Four-Way Stop and Crosswalks at 33rd Street and Palm in North Park for Pedestrian and Cyclist Safety

This petition calls for converting the current two-way stop at the intersection of 33rd Street and Palm Street into a four-way stop, along with the installation of painted crosswalks, to protect the safety of residents, children, pedestrians, students and cyclists who rely on this intersection daily, and to better facilitate the safe flow of vehicular traffic.

Critical School Route and High-Traffic Pedestrian Crossing

The intersection of 33rd and Palm serves as a vital crossing point for families with young children walking and biking to and from nearby McKinley Elementary School as well as countless residents navigating this densely populated residential neighborhood. 

Additionally, this intersection borders Saint Augustine High School, which generates significant vehicular traffic and pedestrian crossings not only during regular school hours but also during special events. 

Currently, there is no four-way stop to regulate traffic flow, creating dangerous conditions as drivers navigate the intersection, often without clear line of sight of pedestrians and oncoming traffic. Urgent action is needed to prevent potential tragedies and ensure the safety of our community's most vulnerable road users.

The Dangers of the 33rd and Palm Intersection

1. Impaired Visibility and Blind Spots

The intersection suffers from significant visibility challenges that create hazardous conditions for both pedestrians and drivers. Because this intersection is on the corner of a high school, cars are routinely parked along all four sides of the intersection, significantly reducing visibility for drivers using the busy north-south artery of 33rd Street.

Additionally, as is common at many schools, parents routinely park in the red during pickup and drop-off times and during busy school events, reducing visibility even more. Ironically, during the times when this intersection is busiest with both heavy vehicular traffic and high volumes of pedestrian crossings, visibility is at its lowest.

2. High Volume of Pedestrian and Bicycle Traffic

This intersection sees constant pedestrian and cyclist activity throughout the day. Without proper traffic controls, every crossing becomes a dangerous gamble, particularly during morning and afternoon school hours when traffic volumes peak.

3. School Route Safety Concerns

Many McKinley Elementary School families rely on this intersection as part of their daily route to and from school, just one block away. Young children walking and biking to school are particularly vulnerable road users. The current lack of traffic controls creates unnecessary risk for elementary school children during critical morning and afternoon hours when both pedestrian and vehicular traffic volumes peak.

4. Dense Residential Area with Frequent Crossings

The surrounding neighborhood's high residential density means that residents cross this intersection multiple times daily for exercise, dogwalking and access to the nearby McKinley joint use park. The absence of a four-way stop forces pedestrians to take their chances with traffic that may not be expecting or yielding to them.

The Need for a Four-Way Stop and Crosswalks

Installing a four-way stop and painted crosswalks at 33rd and Palm would bring much needed order and safety to this intersection. These traffic control measures would:

• Slow traffic and give all road users equal right-of-way
• Clearly designate safe pedestrian crossing zones
• Improve visibility by creating predictable traffic patterns
• Protect children, families, and seniors using this intersection
• Reduce the risk of pedestrian and cyclist collisions
• Create safer conditions during high-traffic school hours
• Provide visual cues that alert drivers to expect pedestrians

The successful traffic safety installations at nearby intersections, including the four-way stop at 33rd and Redwood and the recently installed crosswalks at 32nd and Thorn, demonstrate that these traffic controls work. Our community has seen firsthand how proper traffic management can transform dangerous intersections into safe crossing points for all users. 

Thank you for supporting this vital improvement to our neighborhood's safety.