Sixth Ave. crosswalk back in safety spotlight

“There have been a number of kids hit this year and that’s a concern obviously,” Edwards told paNOW, noting the matter has been brought up at council before. “I know there are teachers who are located at Carlton who are concerned about this crosswalk and discussions need to occur. Should it be solely on the city or should there be a cost-sharing? I don’t know.”

Edwards said he was fully aware the challenges were not just with pedestrian safety but also regarding the constant stopping of traffic flow on the main road during busy periods when students were crossing.

“One person might cross which stops two or three cars; they go and then there’s another few kids waiting to cross as well which stops more cars, so there’s no traffic flow,” he said.

The light could essentially be flashing the entire noon hour _{– Wes Hicks}

The so-far unsolvable problem seems to be how to get students across the road, especially at busy times like lunch-break, while not creating traffic jams. Putting in a stop red light for example has its challenges.

“Some of the reasons or criteria for why a stop light hasn’t been installed in the past is that it’s a main arterial road and it’s close to a major intersection,” the city’s director of public works, Wes Hicks, told paNOW. “To put up a half signal can cause greater traffic issues. It would essentially be flashing for the entire noon hour.”

Hicks noted it was a marked crosswalk and was the only one in the city that had both the zebra style markings on the road surface in advance of the walking area as well as a box light ‘walking man’ sign hanging overhead.

“The cost to put in a half signal is quite expensive and I think there would have to be some discussions between the city and school board,” he said.

However, Hicks also noted a red light crosswalk already in place on Second Ave caused motorist frustrations because students would punch the button, run across very quickly and when vehicles pulled up there’d be no one there. That created traffic back-ups.

An additional unknown according to Hicks was the behavior of pedestrians, even if a red light was installed.

“How do we control the timing of that,” he said.” Could we anticipate that the students would wait for the next red light?”

Do not assume motorists will see you –_{PA Police}

While all parties ponder the issue the police are asking motorists to slow down and be very cautious during busy times before and after school and during the lunch hour.

In an email to paNOW Sgt. Travis Willie said he didn’t believe incidents at the crosswalk were getting worse but said the large amount of snow also reduced visibility for drivers and pedestrians. He added the pedestrians had responsibilities too.

“Just because they’re at a designated crosswalk they still have to be defensive, stop, look and listen before crossing,“ he said.” Do not assume motorists will stop or see you.”

With files from Charlene Tebbutt

–

Glenn.Hicks@jpbg.ca

On Twitter:@princealbertnow

by Glenn Hicks

Sixth Ave. crosswalk back in safety spotlight

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