Crossover confusion reigns in Hamilton

Police say they’re still getting plenty of phone calls seeking clarity

Confusion over pedestrian crossovers abounds, two months after the first one was installed in Hamilton.

A crossover is distinct from a crosswalk, although there are similarities in appearance and in name.

Traffic safety officer Const. Claus Wagner said his unit has heard of much confusion over the new crossovers.

“We get a lot of phone calls. Most of them (drivers) are asking ‘Do I have to wait until the pedestrian is all across the street until I turn right?’”

Yes, the driver must wait in the case of crossovers but not in crosswalks.

In crosswalks, drivers must ensure the pedestrian has cleared the lane they are turning into, but the pedestrian doesn’t have to be completely off the roadway.

Dave Ferguson, the city’s superintendent of traffic engineering however, points out that no drivers have yet been found in violation of the rules.

He admits there is confusion about the ladder bars, also called zebra markings, on the pavement of both crossovers and some crosswalks.

The city has 10 crossovers — three with flashing lights (two with signs over the roadway and one with a roadside sign) and seven marked by just signs.

One crossover is in Ancaster, another in Waterdown and the rest are on the Hamilton Mountain.

The city expects to install 35 of them by the end of 2017.

The distinguishing feature of crossovers, as opposed to crosswalks, is the signs accompanying them, Ferguson points out.

SCOTT GARDNER, THE HAMILTON SPECTATOR There is still confusion over the differences between pedestrian crossovers and crossings. Crossovers, like the one here, are distinguished by a few key features.