Latest news with #pedestrianSafety
CTV News
a day ago
- Automotive
- CTV News
Study finds ways to improve common Canadian intersections, including major one in west Edmonton
A major Edmonton intersection could use upgrades to improve safety for pedestrians who use it, says a study commissioned by an Alberta organization known for its roadside assistance program. The study done for the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA), of which the Alberta Motor Association (AMA) is a part, examined 20 intersections across the country, including Edmonton's crossroads at 87 Avenue and 149 Street. It found that the intersections, chosen for the study because they represent common busy intersections found across Canada, see more than one potentially fatal near-miss incident between vehicles and pedestrians or cyclists, and suggests ways to reduce the number of them. Included in the study were intersections in Calgary and Lethbridge. 'These representative intersections reveal a snapshot of just how common serious near misses can be – but also where small changes could make a big difference,' Ian Jack, the CAA's national vice president of public affairs, said in a media release. 'These are not isolated incidents — they're regular reminders of why we need to improve intersection safety across the country.' Video technology used through a partnership with Miovision, a software firm specializing in traffic control, found that one in 770 pedestrians and one in 500 cyclists were involved in near-misses that could cause injury or death. Video sensors continuously monitored the intersections over seven months from August 2024 to February this year. They observed more than seven-million pedestrian and cyclist crossings and collected 616,854 near-miss incidents. Six of the intersections were monitored via video over a three-day period, according to an AMA media release. The study suggests design features that can improve the safety of the intersections, including: Dedicated turn lanes; Walk signals that start ahead of a vehicle green light, and; An advance green light for turning vehicles. Dominic Schamuhn, the AMA's manager of advocacy, told CTV News Edmonton on Wednesday while the study focused on just one city intersection, 'there are dozens of intersections just like that one across the city, and dozens more all across the province and across the country.' Schamuhn said the AMA has shared the full report with and given access to data from the study to municipalities. 'What we wanted to do is look at these intersections, take a cross section of them from across the country, but then also look at some of the improvements that can be made, so that municipalities can look at this study, look at their own intersections, and say, 'What is the problem here, and what are some of the options that we can use to improve safety for everyone?'' he said. With files from CTV News Edmonton's Miriam Valdes-Carletti
Forbes
4 days ago
- Forbes
Make Walking Safe And Comfortable, Pedestrian Advocate Urges Cities At Transit Summit
'Despite many years' worth of road safety campaigns, it hasn't got safer to be a pedestrian or cyclist anywhere in the world in the last 15 years,' says Jim Walker, founder of Walk21, an internationally-focussed pedestrian advocacy group. 'We have to do something more than just talk about telling people to get out there and walk or cycle; we have to make it safe, make it comfortable, and make it enjoyable.' Walker—yes, a neat bit of nominative determinism there—was speaking at the UITP Summit in Hamburg, Germany, an exhibition organized by the International Association of Public Transport, or Union Internationale des Transports Publics (UITP). Most passengers on public transport tend to be also pedestrians, he stresses. 'There are many trip stages in most public transport trips, and between 90 to 98% of them are walked. If public transport operators want to improve satisfaction as well as system efficiencies, then they have to think about the total journey experience.' Widening sidewalks, planting street trees, and adding attractive places to sit might not be as appealing—to politicians and planners—as driverless cars, autonomous buses, and the latest electrified scooters. However, improving the urban realm for pedestrians can boost transit ridership, and this, in turn, reduces climate emissions, says Walker. 'Cities too often get hoodwinked into adding micromobility options, becoming 'smarter,' and autonomous, but only a small number of people will benefit from those changes, potentially alienating the great majority and worsening the inequity that already exists. Too many technologies are sold with the promise that in the future, you won't have to walk anymore—that won't make for attractive cities. 'We should assume, instead, that every trip will be walked. And if it's not, then it ought to be cycled. And if it can't be cycled, then it should be by public transport. The private car should always be last in the hierarchy of urban transport.' Walk says that too many transport reports focus on main travel modes, with surveys largely ignoring walking to stations and bus stops. 'When people arrive at a train station, how did they get there? They likely walked 700 meters or more, yet that element of the journey isn't always measured. Walking is too often the invisible mode of transport; [local and national authorities] undercount and undervalue walking. 'The modeling that gets taught to transport planners all over the world is for the facilities provided to pedestrians should be 'adequate.' But adequate should not be okay. 'Eight years ago, the European Commission had only one indicator for active mobility, and that was the number of kilometers of bike lanes. But the quality of those bike lanes is rarely measured. And, similarly, the number of kilometers of [sidewalks] Maria Neira, Director of the Environment, Climate Change, and Health Department at the World Health Organization, emphasized the close link between public transit and public health. She noted the health benefits of using transit were enormous. Transit operators, she added, had 'an incredible potential to create environments where health is protected' and encouraged the sector to work with medical professionals on making the case for public transport. The UITP Summit runs through Wednesday and will attract over 10,000 delegates across three days, with more than 400 exhibitors occupying 30,000 square meters of floor space at the Hamburg Messe. Next year's show will be staged in Dubai—a scale model on Dubai's booth shows elevated and air-conditioned walkways linking to transit stations.
Associated Press
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Associated Press
ARCHER BARRIERS STOP CAR HEADING FOR CROWD
ALBUQUERQUE'S LATEST SAFETY PLAN PASSES TEST IN ITS FIRST WEEK 'Over the past few months, we've encountered barriers that have been hit several times, on one or two consecutive days.'— Eric Alms TORRANCE, CA, UNITED STATES, June 16, 2025 / / -- The City of Albuquerque set out to create safe pedestrian areas by closing downtown streets using Archer 1200 mobile barriers supplied by Meridian Rapid Defense Group. Within days, it was proven to be the right decision. On the first night of the Summer Art Walk, a driver drove a car head-on into a barrier, and the vehicle was stopped from entering the designated vehicle-free zone. The driver fled the scene but was later located and questioned by police. Dan Mayfield with the city's Department of Municipal Development said, 'We were thrilled. The barriers are doing their job. Had the driver kept going, he probably would have driven into pedestrians on Central, and that's exactly why we installed them.' Mr. Mayfield told KRQE News 13 the city is pleased with the Archer 1200 mobile barriers, stating that they are a valuable investment for downtown safety. 'It's fine,' he said, 'once the car was stopped, they just pulled the car out. Apparently, the engine is wrecked. They reset the barrier, and everything was good to go for the rest of the night.' Meridian president Eric Alms said, 'It's been a pleasure working with Albuquerque. They needed mobile barriers quickly, so while their new barriers were being manufactured, we provided them with rental barriers at no cost to the city. It was that important to get the city safer, quicker.' The city initially purchased drop-down gates a year ago, but according to News 13, they proved ineffective in preventing drivers from going through. The city purchased 83 of the new Archer 1200s, which offer greater mobility and facilitate easier movement. These barricades are placed every weekend from 3rd Street to 8th Street. The Archer mobile barriers, which the city purchased, are crash-tested to the highest level demanded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. While each barrier weighs 700 lbs, its wheels allow it to be easily moved into place by one person in a matter of minutes. After the event is over, they can just as easily be moved away to allow traffic to flow freely. It is also designed to stop the vehicle without injuring the driver. Maria Griego, Albuquerque City Parking Division Manager, explained that the city is the first in New Mexico to acquire this type of barrier, which can be moved around for various events in other areas of town. 'It'll keep the driver safe. And then it also keeps the pedestrians safe. So, it's a win-win on both sides,' she said. Mr. Alms said, 'This is just one example of the effective stopping power of the barriers. Over the past few months, we've encountered barriers that have been hit several times, on one or two consecutive days. And then a very serious incident in California, where an elderly driver was confused and was stopped by a combination of barriers and cables as he was driving quickly towards a large group of parade watchers.' On each occasion, the barriers were put back in place undamaged, and the drivers weren't injured. Meridian Archer 1200 Barriers are " SAFETY Act Certified " by the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), providing the ultimate standard in keeping people, communities, and places safer. For more information about Meridian Rapid Defense Group and the Archer 1200 vehicle barrier, visit Eric Alms Meridian Rapid Defense Group +1 213-400-9811 email us here Visit us on social media: LinkedIn Instagram Facebook YouTube X Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
CBC
7 days ago
- Automotive
- CBC
This ‘unsafe' stretch of a Montreal West street is finally going to see some changes
The town says a pilot project starting later this year will change the flow of vehicle traffic and add some pedestrian safety measures on a section of Westminster Avenue.
CBS News
13-06-2025
- Automotive
- CBS News
Proposal to redesign Lynnway would add bus, bike lanes
In an effort to make the Lynnway safer and more accessible for pedestrians, the City of Lynn has partnered with the Department of Conservation and Recreation and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation to redesign the busy roadway. "Unfortunately, it really doesn't matter how you're moving - there are real safety issues there," said Phillip Cherry, a senior project manager for the MBTA. Leatrice Denton agrees with that sentiment. "It's hard crossing across there with people not going the speed limit and stuff," she said. While the major roadway is a vital connection for the city of Lynn, Denton says crossing it is dangerous and intimidating. According to Cherry, residents have been asking for change. "A lot of the feedback we received at our open house last night - and that we've received in other conversations - is that the Lynnway is really a barrier. In addition to being chaotic, it's hard to move along and especially across," he said. Lynnway redesign project He says the redesign project will include green space, improved pedestrian crossings, more bus lanes, additional bike lanes, and upgraded traffic signals. Lynnway redesign project VHB "There's not a lot of signalized crossings in that 1.6-mile corridor - there are actually only six signalized intersections in 1.6 miles," Cherry noted. Residents like Denton support the new plan. "I think that would be great," she said. However, her sister Glenda disagrees. "How are our cars going to get by if you put all these bike lanes in?" Glenda asked. "There's a lot of cars, but there's not a lot of bikes right now. I think they should just leave it alone." Officials say the project is still in its early stages. Before construction begins, they will continue accepting feedback from the community.
