CITIZENS AT RISK
Poor signage, no signals, faded paint pose serious risks
Does CBRM have a crosswalk problem? Tom Urbaniak thinks so.
Recently, I turned onto Esplanade in downtown Sydney and began driving south. It was a little after dusk. As I was accelerating to normal speed, I suddenly spotted three pedestrians crossing Esplanade at Townsend St. They looked like shadows, not easily visible.
I stopped in time, thankful that I had not been tired or distracted.
This high-pedestrian-traffic crosswalk, which connects downtown to the boardwalk over a road with constant vehicular traffic, was poorly illuminated. It is not signalled with any flashing lights. There is a pedestrian sign on a pole, but it is a bland black and white, blending into a forest of signs and poles. The pavement where pedestrians cross has no special colour.
As a pedestrian, I have had close calls at crosswalks, watching drivers whiz by. As a driver, the recent stop on Esplanade was not my only moment of relief or abrupt halt.
As a political scientist, I must reflect on this problem as one of policy and planning.
And, as a citizen, I must ask: If the Cape Breton Regional Municipality’s urban areas are designed to make it hard to spot people who cross major streets on foot or on wheelchair, how does this affect the quality of life of seniors, children, people with disabilities or people whose perceptions and reflexes are weakened in any way?
I accept my personal responsibility; I resolve to be more alert as a pedestrian and driver. But pedestrian safety is also a collective responsibility – and that includes the design of crosswalks.
Sadly, the crosswalks of the CBRM are among the worst I have seen in any North American city.
Hardly any have flashing flights, even on high-traffic fourlane roads where it’s hard to tell if another driver is stopped just to turn or also for a pedestrian. Some crosswalks have staggered zebra on-road markings, but many markings are faded. None of the signage is a bright colour, the international standard.
Almost every intersection is legally a crosswalk, but many are not marked at all.
According to local media, from December 2014 to December 2015 there were 34 reported car accidents involving pedestrians or cyclists in the CBRM and 10 charges for failing to yield to a pedestrian. One pedestrian died that year.
Around the world, many cities are embracing a movement called “Vision Zero,” believing that design and public education can reduce pedestrian and cyclist injuries to nil. Crosswalks are a big part of that equation.
The city of St. Albert, Alberta, which just received an award from the Vision Zero Advocacy Institute, went to yellow fluorescent pedestrian-crossing signs and fluorescent yellow and white pavement paint for crosswalks. The city got positive feedback on this from residents. Policy makers also heard that drivers felt inclined to slow down on major roads as a matter of course. (CBRM has a direct connection to St. Albert’s city government: Mayor Nolan Crouse is a graduate of CBU’s MBA in Community Economic Development.)
Norm Collins, a leading Nova Scotia advocate for crosswalk safety, has successfully pushed several municipalities to introduce bright orange crosswalk flags, which rest in baskets on poles beside crosswalks. Pedestrians can take one as they cross and deposit it in a basket on the other side.
A recent study in Halifax found that the orange flags are used only eight per cent of the time, but supporters point out that the flags on the poles at eye level are themselves a major signal to drivers that they are approaching an area of heightened risk.
In 2013, some citizens in CBRM got together to form a Pedestrian Safety Advocacy Group. However, such groups work better on the inside ¬ when brought right into the fold of a municipality.
A CBRM Traffic Safety Committee, reporting to council, could be composed of one or two councillors, key municipal staff, a representative of the police, school board and university, an advocate for people with disabilities and a couple of citizen appointees. They could take matters further than an outside group, especially with a committed chair. An initial assignment would be to find the “low-hanging fruit” to improve the visibility of crosswalks and the pedestrians who use them.
As a resolution for the new school year, could we take on the task to make serious progress to bring our crosswalks up to standard? It will save lives.
“The crosswalks (here) are among the worst I have seen in any North American city.”