The quality of intersections from a pedestrian perspective varies by location. The following sections describe general intersection conditions in the city.
(A) Crosswalks. Within the downtown core, marked crosswalks exist at nearly all intersections along Main Street. Most crosswalks consist of transverse (also called “parallel bar”) markings, while some intersections include higher-visibility longitudinal (also called “ladder-style”) markings. Most intersections beyond downtown lack marked crosswalks, with the exception of a few streets near school areas (e.g., E Wallowa Avenue at N: Longitudinal crosswalk on Main East Street). The city currently applies paint to mark and re-mark crosswalks, but has expressed interest in using thermoplastic to reduce maintenance needs.
(B) Curb ramps. Curb ramps represent a fundamental element of an accessible public realm. A sidewalk without a curb ramp can be useless to someone in a wheelchair, forcing them back to a driveway and out into the street for access. In downtown Joseph, curb ramps exist at most intersections along Main Street. Curb ramps also exist along the recently completed W.E. Williams Avenue sidewalk, with some ramps including detectable warning strips to guide visually-impaired users. A more scattered system of ramps exists along other streets throughout the city.
(Ord. passed 6- -2009)