Two new criss-cross crosswalks opened yesterday at the corners of 3 Ave. and 3 St. S.W. and 2 Ave. and 3 St. S.W, allowing a mishmash of people to cross any which way they’d like, including kitty corner, as all directions of traffic stop for pedestrians.
Ald. Druh Farrell, who was at the ribbon-cutting, said cities like Saskatoon have had crosswalks like this since the ‘40s.
“We’ve identified … a goal that pedestrians should come first,” she said. “Pedestrian comfort, convenience and safety are some things that we’re striving for.”
The new crosswalk lighting will be running 24/7 and has a longer walk-time allowance for foot traffic. During peak times, there are 6,000 pedestrian movements daily across these intersections.
Ryan Vanderputten, Calgary’s manager of Transportation Optimization, said they will be evaluating its success before considering other intersections.
