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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Letter of the Day
Seniors use a pedestrian croswalk in Victoria in September 2011. Crossings are country-wide
Although each province has its own highway traffic act, traffic engineers from across Canada meet regularly and have developed a Canadian manual of uniform traffic-control devices for use by all jurisdictions so motorists who travel between provinces can expect similarity in traffic-control devices.
In Manitoba, the Canadian manual is adopted in law by the highway traffic board. The City of Winnipeg conforms to this manual and pedestrian corridors operate with push-button-actuated flashing-amber beacons to inform motorists the pedestrian corridor is occupied.
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Even if pedestrians do not push a button, they have the right of way at all crosswalks (signed and marked or otherwise) as soon as they step off the curb.
This right of way at all intersections of all public streets and highways has been the law since the Highway Traffic Act was created, and motorists are required to know this in order to acquire a driving license. It is up to drivers to assure themselves a pedestrian corridor is not occupied before passing through it. The City of Winnipeg does not have the authority to replace the flashing amber beacons with flashing red beacons at pedestrian corridors.
Studies in other jurisdictions have shown the colour of the beacon does not alter safety levels. In addition, the frequency of collisions involving pedestrians at pedestrian corridors is similar to that in locations controlled by traffic-control signals, which are far more expensive to install and maintain and create significantly more delay for both pedestrians and motorists.
ANDREW T. CHIMKO
Winnipeg
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition August 11, 2012 A15
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