WASHINGTON – Ocean City will try to discourage pedestrians from crossing Coastal Highway in a seven-block area between 52nd and 59th streets with new, black and yellow curb-top markings that read, “NO PEDESTRIAN X’ING.”
The town and Maryland State Highway Administration this week are finishing up the installation of 100 signs between marked crosswalks.
“We’ve seen in the last couple of years that pedestrian crashes have increased on Coastal Highway, and it’s something we are concerned about,” says Lora Rakowski, spokeswoman for the Maryland State Highway Administration.
The markings use the same thermoplastic materials as stamped pavement crosswalks. Each has an expected lifespan of 10 to 20 years.
Pedestrians who ignore the signs can be fined, says Rakowski. The hope is that the signs will encourage those walking to stick to crosswalks.
Ocean City police say the primary cause of pedestrian crashes involves pedestrians not using marked crosswalks or pedestrians in crosswalks who walk against the traffic signal.
If the signs work, they could start showing up elsewhere in Maryland.
WTOP’s Hank Silverberg contributed to this report. Follow @hsilverbergWTOP and @WTOP on Twitter.
