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Cost: Crossovers are up to 80% cheaper than signalized intersections.
Efficiency: They are on-demand. They only activate when someone is ready to cross the road.
Flexibility: Municipalities have the flexibility to put crossovers anywhere there is a need to provide a safe crossing.
City administration will propose the intersection at Algoma Street and Cornwall Avenue as the spot for the first pedestrian crossover.
Thunder Bay’s first pedestrian crossover is heading for Algoma Street and Cornwall Avenue. The pilot project was approved by councillors at their committee of the whole meeting on Monday. At the beginning of the year, the city was able to enforce pedestrian crossovers following amendments to the Highway Traffic Act and were looking for locations to install the first one. The new rules imposed by the province means that drivers and bicyclists must stop and yield the whole pedestrian crossover until the person is completely off the road. Cornwall and Algoma was chosen for a number of reasons including it meeting the volume demands for vehicles and pedestrians.
Council heard how the province recently approved Bill 31, which allows for the creation of pedestrian crossovers in Ontario. They include paint markings on roadways, signage, and some include flashing lights.
Administration told council there are a number of areas where the crossovers could be introduced. One area, near Hillcrest Park, was the site of a collision between a vehicle and a person who was crossing High Street to get to the park.
Amendments to the Highway Traffic Act affecting pedestrian crossovers came into effect on January 1, 2016 as part of Bill 31 – Making Ontario’s Roads Safer.
Under the new regulations, drivers, including cyclists, must remain stopped at a pedestrian crossover or school crossing until the person crossing the street or the school crossing guard is completely off the roadway.
“This will enhance the safety of our schoolchildren and crossing guards,” said Michelle Riemer, Field Supervisor of Crossing Guards. “Most motorists were already courteous, but the new laws make it clear that safety comes first.”
