(Photo courtesy of city of Phoenix)

This countdown signal at Seventh and Glenrosa avenues in Phoenix is designed to help pedestrians cross busy streets.

The increase in new restaurants and bars along Seventh Street in Phoenix is raising safety concerns among some residents and at least one developer. 

Every day, more than 40,000 cars pass David Sellers’ development. The Colony, just off Seventh Street north of Missouri Avenue, features four restaurants, with a fifth on the way. And, just across Seventh Street, Sellers will open another restaurant next month.  

“That is a major concern of ours,” he said. “To make sure people can go across the street.” 

Sellers is pushing the city to install a new signal to help pedestrians cross Seventh Street at Montebello Avenue. It would only activate when pedestrians press the button to cross. After the walk time expires, the red light flashes to warn pedestrians not to start crossing and allows drivers to proceed if pedestrians have crossed their half of the street.  

“The most important thing is safety, and that not being a concern when you come down to the area and you want to be a patron at any one of these places,” he said.

Sellers says his group is willing to pay some of the cost. The signals have been installed at other restaurant clusters near Central Avenue and Camelback Road, and Seventh Avenue and Indian School Road. 

Pedestrian safety is not the only concern among residents who live near Seventh Street and other areas where adaptive-reuse projects are taking off. As more restaurants and bars move in, homeowners have been expressing concerns over increased traffic and noise.

(Map courtesy of LGE Design Build)