Council, staff clash over new crosswalk safety measures
Posted Apr 7, 2010 05:46:34 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Regional councillors are at odds with staff at City Hall over a plan to make some of HRM’s crosswalks safer.
The two sides have clashed over two-year, $62,000 plan to paint zebra stripes on all marked crosswalks without pedestrian controlled lights.
Staff suggests it won’t make the crossings safer. In fact, a report from traffic analyst Vaughn Perrin suggests it could lull pedestrians into a false sense of security, putting them at greater risk.
But Mayor Peter Kelly says he doesn’t buy the objections.
“The more clearly the marked crosswalk, the more clear the indication of where you should be crossing,” he said.
According to the Herald, the report also points out that the markings tend to get slippery, adding to the danger for pedestrians, cyclist and motorcyclists.
Council decided to send the proposal on to its upcoming budget talks.
A proposal to install several roundabouts around metro also came up at Tuesday’s meeting. Traffic engineers are suggesting putting the circles at the Willow Tree, Cunard-Agricola and Woodland-MicMac intersections.
