To prevent pedestrians from jaywalking, members of the Madison Police Department Traffic Enforcement Safety Team were positioned on the corner of Park St. and Johnson St. on Tuesday to educate pedestrians on correct procedures for crossing busy intersections.
Madison Metro brought the issue of jaywalking to the team’s attention after becoming frustrated with pedestrians bringing traffic to a standstill, according to MPD TEST Sgt. Eric Tripke.
Tripke said police blew whistles at students who began to jaywalk and asked them to wait until the next walk sign in an effort to change the culture of the pedestrians that are ignoring the correct times to cross.
Police did not issue any citations, however the team was prepared to give out tickets if pedestrians disobeyed their orders to go back to the curb.
Although no events are currently planned for the future, students can expect a similar initiative sometime in the spring.
