San Antonio Drivers Who Block the Box
A vehicle blocking an intersection during heavy traffic is never plesant. The light is green but you can’t move because the car in front is now parked illegally. Anyone walking or riding a bike now has to go into the street or go around the blocking vehicle. This adds to the traffic congestion, poses a safety risk, and is refereed to as “Block the Box”. Blocking an intersection can also mean stopping your car on the crosswalk. This forces pedestrians to walk into the street to get around you. That is why SAPD is going to start cracking down on drivers who “Block the Box” starting this month.
The city of San Antonio issued an ordinance in place to prevent drivers from blocking intersections with their vehicles. The program will be broken up into 2 phases: Awareness and Enforcement. Over the next six months, SAPD will be surveilling 10 intersections known for congestion. San Antonio city staff will be measuring the number of times these intersections are illegally blocked. While spreading awareness of “Don’t Block the Box” by hanging signs next to street lights. Plus, respraying pedestrian crosswalks as a reminder to drivers to brake in front of these lines, not on them.
The Next Phase is Enforcement
SAPD will be patrolling these intersections for drivers blocking the box. A citation for blocking an intersection is set at $200 dollars.
Check the list to see if these intersections all under your daily commute:
- 1: Euclid at San Pedro
- 2: Houston at W.W. White
- 3: Logwood at S.W. Military
- 4: Springvale at Valley-Hi
- 5: Commerce at Zarzamora
- 6: Culebra at Westwood Loop
- 7: Fredericksburg at Woodlake
- 8: Huebner at Fredericksburg
- 9: Silversands at West
- 10: Bulverde at Autry Pond – Classen Rd
Due to the growing population of cyclists and pedestrian in the downtown area, the patrolling program was used in Austin, TX, in 2015. Since enforcement started in April of 2015 the city of Austin has issued over 6,000 citations for blocking the box. This new San Antonio City ordinance is expected to do the same or more.
What about right on red? This program will not be targeting people who drive past a crosswalk in order to take a right turn during a red light. Don’t Block the Box is looking for drivers who knowingly stop in the middle of the crosswalk. Drivers that block an intersection during congestion traffic are also considered “Block the Box” drivers.
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