Pedestrians Risk Their Lives Crossing Prague's Main Highway Due to Missing Crosswalk

At the intersection of Sokolská and Legerova streets, where Prague's North-South Magistrála — one of the capital's key transport arteries — runs through, pedestrians regularly dash across the road at an unauthorized spot. This is confirmed by video footage filmed by journalists at the scene this week.

The reason is simple: people don't want to wait. Crossing to the other side the proper way — via three traffic lights — takes nearly three minutes. Many prefer to take the risk and cut straight across the busy highway, which carries tens of thousands of cars every day.

The City Hall's Position

According to Prague City Hall, the absence of a crosswalk at this spot actually makes pedestrians safer rather than putting them at greater risk. The reason is that the surrounding buildings block drivers' view of the intersection. "Drivers only get a real chance to see what's happening on the side street once they're right at the corner of the buildings," explained City Hall spokesperson Vít Hofman.

He noted that the lengthy detour can be avoided: the block between Legerova and Mezibranská streets is only about 70 meters long, so instead of navigating the intersection via three crossings, pedestrians can use the eastern crossing at the neighboring intersection.

An Expert's View

According to Petra Skolilová from the Department of Smart Cities and Regions at the Faculty of Transportation Sciences of the Czech Technical University, the placement of pedestrian crossings depends on a whole range of factors. "It's always about a combination of measures and solutions designed to ensure safe and smooth traffic flow. And at any major transport hub, that's an extremely complex task," she explained.

Read also: Prague Metro: map and tickets

Source: seznamzpravy.cz