Transportation Master Plan Calls For Pedestrian Safety Improvements Downtown

Making the Downtown safer for pedestrians was one of the items identified in the Transportation Master Plan (TMP) presented to Council on Monday afternoon.

The TMP has called for additional bulb-outs in the Downtown.

Bulb-outs is a round extension of the sidewalk past the usual stopping point.

They are used to shorten the distances for people walking across the street. They also block a section of roadway at intersections.

An example of an existing bulb-out at the intersection of Fairford Street and Main Street - MJ Independent photo

The locations for the proposed bulb-outs on Main Street in the TMP are Caribou Street, Manitoba Street and the remaining corners of Fairford Street.

A further safety recommendation is a leading pedestrian interval on traffic control lights.

“Which gives pedestrians a head start prior to traffic proceeding. This has a low impact on traffic but a high impact on safety for pedestrians,” Council was told.

The Transportation Master Plan is an $250,000 extensive study of transportation in the city it gives recommendations or proposals on how to improve traffic and other transportation related matters now into the near future and the distant future.

It is a guidebook for the City to prioritize expenditures and transportation. The City does not have to adopt any or all of its recommendations.