"Westbound traffic can be pretty heavy on weekday afternoons, so if I can maintain my momentum and not stop, it makes crossing easier. As a begin my descent, I always check and double check to find my gap an select a speed that allows me to comfortably hit the gap in traffic if it's possible."
I don't mean to be personally critical of you but I think if you have an intent to scoot across a busy road without stopping while looking for "the gap" on your approach, you are reducing your safety margins because your mind becomes more focused on achieving your goal and less focused on the fact that large fast dangerous metal objects are driving towards you. In situations where you are pre-occupied with a task with a time constraint, you are far more likely to not spot a threat. And that means, with the brief glance(s) you give, you literally don't see the car. It's just how our minds work. I've done it many times...