For pedestrians, it’s the biggest change in Hood River since 2001.
    Whether 13th and May streets are now safer for people crossing on foot is still an open question.
    Safety, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.

The city, the hospital and the school district all deserve credit for persistence in calling for something to address concerns for safety at the intersection. And ODOT heard the proverbial “squeaky wheel” and acted quickly once spring weather hit.

The last time there was such a public outcry for pedestrian measures was in 2000 on 12th Street in front of Rosauers — and installation of that crosswalk took more than a year.

ODOT’s Rich Watanabe announced Thursday at the Heights Business Association Impact Meeting in Hood River that the 13th and May changes would be done in a week or so, when weather allowed. The next day, the crews were busy at the intersection and had the work done by mid afternoon.

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There are three basic things to know about the revised intersection:

n Now prohibited are left turns from May to 13th — northbound —except for emergency vehicles.

n Stout concrete domes are in place to ensure cars follow the new traffic pattern.

The domes now form a triangular “refuge” in mid-intersection, so pedestrians can look at one lane of traffic at a time, instead of two or three.

The concrete domes are solid. An ODOT worker joked that they’re “reject bowling balls cut in half.” Driving over them, besides being illegal, could damage a car.

n The north-side crosswalk has been removed. In its place is the refuge. It should also be noted that the “free right turn” lane from May to 13th is still in effect. Signage reminds drivers in the free turn lane to “yield to peds.”

So those are the mechanics of the revised intersection.

Now back to the central question: Will these steps make the crossing safer?

We’re not so sure. Letters on this page take both points of view, and conversations with people who walk across the intersection also reflect more than one opinion. One person said it feels much safer, while another said the refuge gives only slight assurance of safe passage.

Functionally, the changes are very clear: The domes certainly stand out, although tire marks on the domes indicate that people are driving over them.

Also, removing the north-side crosswalk could be a source of confusion: Do pedestrians and drivers agree on who has right of way, without the presence of the parallel lines that used to be there?

Is the refuge without the crosswalk enough?

Granted, pedestrians have only one lane to cross at a time, and in time people will grow more accustomed to the changes.

ODOT official Christine Miles said Tuesday that the agency does not plan to restore the crosswalk.

“Studies have shown they give pedestrians a false sense of security. Pedestrians and motorists all need to watch out for themselves and each other. People need to know that under state law every intersection is a legal crosswalk and drivers must give pedestrians right of way whether there are lines painted or not.”

Be that as it may, this intersection needs the crosswalk.

Repainting the north-side crosswalk — across 13th as well as across the free-right turn lane — would add another level of safety and should be done ASAP.

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There is another concern over the intersection: differing perspectives by the parties over the long-term status of the revision.

At Thursday’s meeting, when asked if it was a temporary measure, two players answered simultaneously but not uniformly.

Mayor Arthur Babitz said, “It’s temporary.”

Watanabe said “It’s just the first phase.”

Those two things could turn out to be the same thing, but they could be different, too.

Notably, Watanabe added, “We’ll probably try some other things.”

It is encouraging that steps have been taken, but less encouraging is the fact that no one seems sure just how long those domes will be there or what else might happen.

Installing the domes and removing the crosswalk, if permanent, will probably prevent serious problems. But if they turn out to be temporary, it confuses the issue at that particular location and undermines public confidence wherever public agencies make changes in the interest of safety.

Ultimately, is a crossing like 13th and May the place to experiment with vehicular and pedestrian traffic behavior?

Pedestrians and motorists alike need to be just as cognizant of safety at 13th and May as they ever had to be.

Or, ironically, more so.