CINCINNATI, Ohio — If you’ve walked down any main street in East Price Hill lately chances are you’ve seen the new crosswalk flags. They were installed two weeks ago by the Cincinnati Police Department as a way to better protect pedestrians while they cross the street.

What You Need To Know

  • New crosswalk flags were installed in East Price Hill two weeks ago

  • The flags are used to catch the attention of drivers when pedestrians cross the street

  • East Price Hill residents believe it's a good initiative, but want to see more done to protect pedestrians

Cincinnati resident Theresa Woods and her service dog walk down Warsaw Avenue a couple of times a month and frequently use the crosswalks. In the past, Woods says it was a struggle trying to cross the street because cars refused to stop. 

“You know, I have a dog, I have a cane, and sometimes they don't care about that either. I have to make sure I get eye contact and move on,” said Woods.

But since using the crosswalk flags, she says it’s a lot easier.

“I felt safer, I felt I had something added to me, as well as my service dog,” she said. "It's an effort for our safety, which we need within the crosswalks alone, more, and I think this adds to it where we can cross safely.”

Pedestrian safety is extremely important to Woods because she knows someone who died while crossing on this street.

“A member of church a few years back was killed crossing up there,” she said. “And it was years ago. So, this might have helped. I don't know.”

According to CPD, Woods' church member is one of 14 other pedestrians in the past two years who died after being struck by a car while crossing Warsaw Avenue.

“That's how it came about as a conversation about them, the number of pedestrians that had been killed along the Warsaw corridor, and then the number of accidents with pedestrians,” said Sergeant Shannon Heines, with the Cincinnati Police Department.

Cincinnati Police Sergeant Shannon Heine is part of a team of officers in the PIVOT squad who installed these flags. She believes this new initiative will help better catch the attention of the drivers. 

“We needed to do something that would make it more discernible — something that would manifest the driver to react,” said Heine. “So, a brightly-colored orange flag is something that's apparent. And it causes a reaction.”

In addition to the crosswalk flags in East Price Hill, they have also been installed in Northside, Westwood and West Price Hill. Woods says she appreciates this new initiative, but hopes even more can be done to better protect pedestrians. 

“A heavier fine or something where maybe the pedestrians can maybe call in," she said.