Canada/Winnipeg wants to give pedestrians a head start to make intersections safer

Winnipeg may soon offer pedestrians a few extra seconds to cross before vehicles start moving at all city intersections, as part of a plan to improve road safety. The Public Works Committee will discuss this report at its January 8 meeting.

Last year, the city installed advanced pedestrian intervals at around 100 downtown intersections. This modification to the timing of traffic lights gives pedestrians a walking signal allowing them to cross about five seconds before vehicles travelling in the same direction get the green light.

According to a video analysis carried out on ten intersections before and after implementation, initial results show fewer dangerous situations between drivers and pedestrians, with minimal impact on traffic.

Public Works Committee Chair Janice Lukes says the change has made downtown streets safer, and that citizens have noticed the difference.

It's such a minimal cost for such a positive impact, allowing pedestrians to get an early start. Vehicles see that they are crossing the street," said the Waverley West councillor.

According to the City's analysis, pedestrians benefiting from the early walk signal were able to cross approximately two lanes before vehicles had the green light, increasing the gap between people on foot and approaching traffic.

The report states that downtown congestion did not significantly worsen after the introduction of the intervals, partly because they were only installed at intersections that could be reached by foot.This is partly because they were only installed at intersections that could withstand the change in timing, and partly because the project coincided with a wider readjustment of downtown traffic lights.

City staff are now proposing a city-wide roll-out over five years, starting this year, although Janice Lukes would like to see the process accelerated. Intersections would be prioritized according to pedestrian volume, safety risks and compatibility with existing traffic lights.

Locations near schools, transit stops, hospitals and seniors' facilities should be among the first to be considered.

Once the locations are chosen, it takes very little time, as it's simply a matter of changing the timing of the lights to allow pedestrians to get an early start, Lukes explained.

The report also states that installing the advanced intervals requires no additional budget. The city estimates that it will be able to install between 60 and 75 intervals per year outside the city center.

The expansion is part of the municipal strategic plan for road safety, which aims to reduce serious injuries and fatalities, particularly among vulnerable road users. The Public Works Committee will discuss this report at its January 8 meeting.

Source: ici.radio-canada.ca/