We strongly urge Edgewood and Swissvale boroughs to install a crosswalk crossing S. Braddock Ave. on the north side of the Sanders St. intersection (per diagram) as soon as possible and NOT to ban pedestrian crossing, as is currently planned. Installing a crosswalk would help Regent Square businesses, strengthen our sense of community, induce cars to slow down, and improve pedestrian safety.

We strongly oppose the boroughs’ current plan to install signs in 2017 or 2018 forbidding pedestrian crossing of S. Braddock Ave. at Sanders St., between the east side, in Edgewood, and the west side, in Swissvale.

We think the current plan is unwise because (1) Sanders is one end of the core of the Regent Square business district, (2) there are a number of businesses on each side of Braddock near Sanders that receive a high number of daily visitors, including Square Cafe, Eyes on Regent Square, D’s Six Pax & Dogz, and others, (3) pedestrians are vital to the success of the businesses and to sense of community, and (4) if signs are put up banning crossing there, many people will ignore the signs and cross anyway.

We understand that S. Braddock & Sanders is a difficult intersection due to cars traveling above the 25mph limit and its location at the crest of the hill. There are many illegal left turns there, and some car crashes. However, we feel that the best solution is not to ban pedestrian crossing, but to induce cars to slow down using traffic calming methods.

For the above reasons, we need a crosswalk across Braddock at Sanders.