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Cheyenne committee backs citywide crosswalk criteria to speed pedestrian safety projects
Summary
The Cheyenne Public Service Committee recommended the council adopt a new crosswalk criteria and guidelines to lower implementation thresholds, prioritize data-driven treatments and replace painted markings with longer-lasting materials; members asked for clearer school-zone guidance and material standards.
The Cheyenne Public Service Committee voted to forward to council a resolution that would adopt citywide crosswalk criteria and implementation guidelines intended to speed and standardize pedestrian-safety improvements.
Rick Aean, the city traffic engineer, told the committee that the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) requires thresholds — often 100 pedestrians per peak hour — that are impractical for Cheyenne. Aean said the proposed local standard would use a lower starting threshold (20 pedestrians per peak hour) for many treatments, enabling targeted installations such as marked crossings with signs, rectangular rapid-flash beacon (RRFB) systems, pedestrian hybrid beacons and, where appropriate, curb extensions.
"The MUTCD numbers are very high and don't work well for smaller communities," Aean said, adding the proposed criteria aim to provide data-driven, consistent decision rules so staff can respond to crosswalk requests without ad hoc judgment.
Committee members pressed staff on two implementation points: how the policy would interact with school-zone crossings and what pavement-marking materials the city should use. Dr. Aldridge asked whether school crossings would be treated differently; Tom Cobb, an engineer online, recommended letting national school-zone standards remain governed by the MUTCD but agreed the crosswalk guideline should reference that practice and direct requesters to applicable school-zone policy. Aean and others said the guideline will be accompanied by a standards document (standard specifications) that can specify materials and be updated separately.
On markings, Aean said the city is shifting from painted markings to thermoplastic (heat-applied) materials for longer durability and reflectivity, noting thermoplastic can last 5–10 years on local roads whereas paint often loses reflectivity within months. Council members indicated budget and project timing (some intersections are scheduled for signal upgrades) will shape near-term replacements.
The committee also reviewed consultant-supported treatment-level charts and an implementation timeline that distinguishes quick actions (markings and signing) from longer engineering projects (curb extensions, drainage work) that can take one to two years. Staff identified two crosswalk projects — Gardinia and Whispering Hills — that will be designed with construction targeted for later this summer in coordination with Safe Routes to School work.
Several residents and neighborhood representatives spoke in support. Bonnie Cruz, a resident near Point Twin Homes, urged staff to evaluate blind-spot risks and consider additional east-west crossing treatments on Gardinia to protect older residents and families.
The committee voted to recommend council adoption; staff said the policy will be paired with more-detailed standard specifications and references to MUTCD and school-zone practice before final council action.
