FARMINGTON – Pedestrians who jaywalk in town might want to choose their paths more carefully.
Not only is crossing busy Main Street a safety concern, but crossing where there is no crosswalk is unlawful, and violators are subject to a minimum fine of $132. Crossing against a pedestrian control light, at Main Street and Broadway for example, can also yield a fine. The same minimum fine applies to motorists who violate crosswalk laws.
With the advent of new crosswalks around the University of Maine campus, the school and Farmington police are taking strides to get the word out.
Police distributed several thousand brochures that outline pedestrian laws for walkers and motorists to area businesses. They will be handing them out them to motorists with whom they have contact as well. There were 2,500 brought to the university for distribution to students.
The cost for the brochures was paid for by a $1,200 grant from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The grant, written by Farmington police Sgt. Shane Cote, will also be used to produce a 30-second public safety announcement that will soon be aired on radio stations WKTJ and WUMF.
In addition to the radio spots, Cote plans to create a 30-minute television show to air on Mt. Blue television on the topic.
University officials, too, are doing their part to alert students to pedestrian laws. In addition to distributing the brochures, resident assistants will be speaking to dormitory dwellers at hall meetings about pedestrian safety, new crosswalk configurations and the laws.
Cote said he will start to crack down on errant strollers, issuing warnings in the next couple of weeks, giving walkers and motorists the opportunity to become accustomed to the new crossings. After that, though, he intends to issue summonses to unlawful walkers and drivers. He says he will encourage his co-workers in the department to follow suit.
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