Pedestrians get a head start with Kensington’s unique walk signal
Observant drivers waiting for a green light at Second Avenue and 10th Street N.W. may notice something unusual when the light turns from red to green.
Pedestrians and cyclists are given a head start at the Kensington intersection, with a walk signal that lights up a few seconds before drivers get a green — enough time for people on foot to take several steps into the crosswalk before turning drivers hit the gas.
Known as a leading pedestrian interval, the simple signal timing change has been used in cities across North America to help increase pedestrian visibility and reduce the risk of crashes between turning automobiles and crossing pedestrians.
The Kensington traffic signal is believed to be Calgary’s first leading pedestrian interval, and it’s just one of several techniques the city will test this year under Calgary’s first pedestrian strategy, which was approved in 2016.
“The pedestrian strategy says use (different) tools, try them out, find out what works in Calgary — what works with what our driver expectations are, with what our pedestrian expectations are,” said Jonathan Chapman, programs coordinator with the city’s livable streets division.
Chapman said an extensive review of five years of collision history at intersections across the city identified several trouble crossings.
“(We’re) going through them one by one and trying to see what techniques might work,” he said.
Those techniques could include prohibiting turns on red lights at problem intersections or switching up signal timing.
Chapman said the leading pedestrian interval was added to the Kensington crosswalk as part of recent area cycling infrastructure and the traffic tool could be coming to other intersections across the city.
“We’re interested in trying that out in other locations for places where pedestrians have a history of getting hit,” he said.
On average, at least one person is struck by a vehicle on Calgary’s streets every day.
According to city data, 370 pedestrians were hit by automobiles in 2015, 304 of whom were injured. Seven people were killed crossing city streets.
Chapman said the city isn’t going to give pedestrians a head start at all intersections. Instead, staff will test leading pedestrian intervals and other techniques at trouble crosswalks and use video analysis to determine what’s working by tracking if collisions and near misses are dropping.
“We’re not just going to use this at 100 intersections,” he said.
“We’re going to look for the specific places where that pattern of conflict between turning vehicles and pedestrians is high, and then we’ll investigate whether or not a leading interval for that specific location will help.”
The pedestrian strategy says use (different) tools, try them out, find out what works in Calgary.