R.I. Town Gets Crosswalk to Nowhere Sat Jun 7, 1:20 AM ET Add AP - Feature Stories to My Yahoo!
By AMY FORLITI, Associated Press Writer
FOSTER, R.I. - This northwestern Rhode Island town finally got its first crosswalk. The problem is, it leads to nowhere.
The white-striped pedestrian marking popped up about two weeks ago, stretching from a large hedge on one side of a busy country road to a small stone property wall on the other.
"We've been trying to get a traffic light on Route 6 and here they go and put a crosswalk up that would only be good for deer or wild turkeys or turtles or something," said police Chief Donald Kettelle. "It's a crosswalk to nowhere."
Neighbor Bob Larrivee heard commotion late one night and saw strobe lights on Cucumber Hill Road, a busy two-lane stretch along the Connecticut border. He assumed workers were tending to a felled tree, or repainting the fading dividing lines.
"I went out to get my mail the next day, and I noticed it," said Larrivee. "It kind of jumps out at you."
It was painted accidentally by state-hired striping contractors who saw two "Pedestrian Crossing" signs that were posted 20 years ago to get drivers to slow down, said Frank Corrao, chief civil engineer for traffic engineering at the Department of Transportation.
"I wouldn't call it a mistake," Corrao said. "It was inadvertently marked, because they thought they were doing the right thing."
Larrivee, 54, said neighbors have enjoyed it for the most part, laughing about getting jobs as crossing guards, or saying they better use the crosswalk or risk getting a jaywalking ticket.
The state has decided to let the crosswalk — which would cost $200 to remove — fade over time.
"To be honest, I kind of like it," Larrivee said. "It's kind of a landmark."
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