The crosswalks at Meadow Drive and Arctic Street along University Drive are a little more than two-tenths of a mile apart.

It doesn't seem far ... unless you're making that walk when it's cold or raining, or you have a little one in tow. Then you might be tempted to take a shortcut across the seven lanes of University, rather than walk the extra distance to one of the crosswalks.

When you press the button at the Meadow Drive crosswalk to get across University, the wait is between 2 and 3 minutes before the signal change gives you the right-of-way. It doesn't seem long ... unless it's cold or raining, or you have a little one in tow. Then you might be tempted to head across those seven lanes whenever it looks like the coast is clear, even before you get the right-of-way.

The "walk" indicator on the other side is accompanied by a count-down clock that shows you how much of 32 seconds you have left to get across.

The crosswalk has zebra stripes painted on the roadway, but it's not raised.

The speed limit is 45 mph, but drivers ignore it like they assume it's not being enforced.

Four pedestrians have died and many others have been injured along this brief stretch of road near the Northwoods housing community.

Most recently, a pedestrian was killed Thursday night, Jan. 31, while crossing Meridian Street near Abingdon Avenue. This following another fatality on Jan. 23. Indications are that neither man was using a crosswalk.

Is this an anomaly, or are there dangerous intersections in Huntsville that need attention to protect pedestrians? In a town where most of us drive almost everywhere, how easy is it to walk around the city of Huntsville?

Or do pedestrians simply need to be more careful?

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