A pedestrian scramble allowing diagonal crossings at Toomer's Corner in downtown Auburn began operating in early July, interim city engineer Brandy Ezell said, and city staff are monitoring how pedestrians and vehicles use the intersection before deciding whether to make the change permanent.

The scramble — sometimes called an "X crossing" — pauses conflicting vehicle movements so pedestrians may cross in all directions, including diagonally, during the pedestrian phase. "Once that walking man is up, pedestrians can go," Ezell said. "Otherwise, they shouldn't be." She said the city is watching video feeds and conducting in-person observations to measure how many people use the diagonal crossing and whether vehicle flows are affected.

Why it matters: The intersection at Toomer's Corner is a high-pedestrian area in downtown Auburn where College Street and Magnolia Avenue meet. Changes to signal timing and crossing patterns can affect pedestrian safety, vehicle delays, and access to on-street parking used by downtown businesses. "The on street parking, while it's great for our businesses and things, actually does generate some challenges to traffic flow and movement," Ezell said.

City tactics and early findings
City staff said the scramble was activated in early July and that preliminary observations show substantial use of the diagonal option. "What we're finding is that pretty much every crossing phase, we have people going diagonal. So they're using it," Ezell said. The city staged "ambassadors" at peak periods to remind pedestrians of the new crossing pattern and ran social media outreach. Staff also placed sandwich-board signs and temporary signage on pedestrian poles and traffic poles that include "no right on red" notices.

Rules and enforcement
Ezell emphasized that pedestrians must wait for the pedestrian signal and must press the button to request the pedestrian cycle. She also noted that bicycles are treated as vehicles and should remain on the road rather than on sidewalks in the downtown core. "Push the button, wait for the walk, and only go when it's your turn," she said.

Potential permanent changes and limits
If the city decides to make the scramble permanent, Ezell said officials would upgrade temporary signage to permanent fixtures and might add enhanced paving or other treatments to clarify the crossing area. She said the "tiger paw" artwork at the site will remain: "We will not get rid of the tiger paw. The tiger paw will stay."

Signal timing and future adjustments
Ezell described the signal equipment as "very smart," with vehicle detection and remote timing controls. The city can adjust green times and timing patterns to balance vehicle movements on College Street and Magnolia Avenue with pedestrian phases. She said staff will continue to monitor conditions, especially heading into the fall when traffic volumes can increase during peak periods, and make adjustments as needed.

What the city has not decided
There was no formal vote recorded in this discussion and no timetable given for a final decision. Funding sources or cost estimates for making the scramble permanent were not specified. Ezell said staff are collecting usage and operational data to inform any permanent changes.