A few months ago, I worked on a corridor study for SR 434 near UCF in Orlando. SR 434 is comparable in width to Southside, Beach, and Atlantic. As a pedestrian, you're forced to cross intersections with as many as 9 to 10 (12' wide) auto lanes with traffic movements coming in all directions. If you're a cyclist, your bicycle lane ends up in the middle of cars shifting into turn lanes at major intersections.
Unfortunately, the way many of these intersections are designed, pedestrians get the illusion that it is safer to jaywalk than cross at these signalized intersections. I know I feel that way. Despite the speed of cars, sometimes you get the impression that it's easier to dart across three lanes instead of crossing 10 at one time. Field work observations of students darting across road medians and bike riders using the sidewalks instead of bike lanes also indicate this. We have a real problem on our hands but it won't improve for all modes until we start treating all modes equal priority during the planning process.
