WPCNR PUBLIC AWARENESS ALERT ADVISORY. By John F. Bailey. January 24, 2005: Today marks the debut of a new feature on WPCNR that will appear when, in WPCNR's judgement, citizens of White Plains need to be advised of situations that could be hazardous to their health, safety, or best interests. Selections for this feature are purely judgemental and are the sole responsibility of the editor. When possible, situations will be documented with photographs so when you are in that area, you can be on the alert, paritcularly if officials, businesses, and organizations responsible for the situations are unresponsive to change. Whenever WPCNR believes a "P-Triple A" is warranted, we'll let you be the first to know. The first two PAAA alerts concern the no-man's-land for pedestrians at Fountain Plaza.

PUBLIC AWARENESS ALERT ADVISORY # 1: Mamaroneck & Main Mixed Message to pedestrians. Your mild-mannered reporter has twice stepped off into oncoming traffic crossing at M & M, because I looked to the far traffic signal, which said "Walk," when the near signal said "Don't Walk." The Traffic Department said the mixed message of the two signals were within state guidelines, and that this was a cross of two streets not one. However, you have to know that. This is fine, until the first fatality. Pedestrians, especially mild-mannered reporters should watch out. You have to stop on the very slim traffic island before proceeding the rest of the way across Mamaroneck Avenue. It is worse when crossing from the fountain side. You automatically look to the sign by Zanaro's, not the sign on the island (in center of your picture). This is not safe to have two conflict signals across what really is one street. It is not Times Square.  The Traffic Department advised that the situation was the way it is for traffic flow.  Photo by The WPCNR Roving Reporter.

PUBLIC AWARENESS ALERT ADVISORY # 2: This is the intersection on the opposite side of Fountain Plaza, opposite Starbucks. In the right of your picture there is a sign with a red circle, crossing out a pedestrian, signalling pedestrians it is not legal for them to cross at that corner. They should cross at the crosswalk opposite the Western Union Office. Poppycock. A vast majority of pedestrians ignore this and cross there. There should be a permanent railing put up around both corners to block pedestrians from crossing there. Since traffic is one way anyway, it is absurd not to have a fourway crossing with XXXX-out crosswalks. Pedestrians frequently ignor the don't cross sign at their peril. Photo by WPNCR Roving Photographer.