No more waiting for the gap - crossovers for the pedestrians

News 100 yellowBy Staff

August 24th, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Sanity has found the people that determine where it is safe to cross a street.

Burlington got fond of those Wait for the Gap signs along Brant Street. They are history come the 27th – you might be able to buy one as a keepsake on EBay.

The city is converting ‘wait for the gap’ crossings along Brant Street to pedestrian crossovers to be ready for Thursday, Aug. 27, weather permitting.

crossover

The Rainbow marking were prettier

The first pedestrian crossovers to be done are at:

• Pine Street
• Elgin Street
• Maria Street

In addition to the three locations along Brant Street, crossovers will also be installed at the Centennial Pathway road crossings in 2020.

These locations include:

• Smith Avenue
• Seneca Avenue
• Delaware Avenue
• Cumberland Avenue
• Woodview Road
• Elwood Road
• Longmoor Drive – 2 locations
• Belvenia Road

New legislation was introduced in January 2016 by the Province of Ontario that gives pedestrians the right of way at road crossings. The new rules are in Part 10, section 140 of the Highway Traffic Act.

Pedestrian crossovers, marked by signs and pavement markings, are a new way for pedestrians to easily and safely cross the road. By law, drivers and cyclists must stop and yield the whole roadway at pedestrian crossovers. Only when pedestrians have crossed and are safely on the sidewalk can drivers and cyclists proceed.

Crossovers are different than crosswalks. Crosswalks are most often located at an intersection with traffic signals, pedestrian signals or stop signs. Crossovers are a designated pedestrian crossing in the roadway, usually not at an intersection.

The new crossovers in Burlington will share key elements, such as:

• signage saying “Stop for Pedestrians”

• ladder style pavement markings in the crossover area

• triangle yield lines (i.e. shark’s teeth) on each approach, indicating where drivers need to stop

Mayor Marianne Meed Ward piped in with: “Residents have been asking for additional measures for making walking around our City easier and this will help. This is part of our commitment to make our streets walkable and help make people feel safe to do so.”  Expect to see a photo op at one of these real soon.

Lisa Kearns at a public meeting before she was elected a city Councillor.

Crossover will: ” correctly prioritize pedestrians over vehicles”.

Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns put the English language to a new use saying: “This long-requested improvement will correctly prioritize pedestrians over vehicles in locations where confusion can result in the potential for collisions. Residents enthusiastically welcome the Downtown Pedestrian Crossovers in locations where hundreds of daily crossings are made along lower Brant Street. This improvement puts people first and supports our Council’s commitment to integrated city mobility.”

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5 comments to No more waiting for the gap – crossovers for the pedestrians

  • david barker

    Well done, Councilor Kearns. That is great news about the crossings along the Centennial Cycle Path

  • The city has a bad habit of failing to keep abreast of legislation as quickly as they should but expect Burlington residents to immediately accept and appropriately respond to Council initiated by-laws (masks in condos and aopartment buildings outside of yoiur own space for example). All legislation changes particularly those which address resident safety should see Council and City act immediately. Parents have more success in teaching their children safe behaviours when parents do not insist on “Do as I say not as I do!’

  • Collin

    It’s a good start. Hopefully they will now consider lowering more speed limits and installing more stop-sign cameras. Burlington is a dangerous place for pedestrians; that has to change.

  • Penny Hersh

    This is great news. Thank you Councillor Kearns for pursuing this. Burlington seniors have been advocating for this change for over 10 years. We had been told that this was not possible because the Province of Ontario did not allow this.

    According to this article legislation was changed in January 2016 that “gives pedestrians the right of way at road crossings”.

    It took the city over 4 years to make this change. Perhaps the senior’s request to have a “hop on, hop off” bus shuttle along Brant Street from Lakeshore Road up to Costco’s will now be considered as well? It’s been about 10 years for this request as well.