Ladysmith Drive and Kiwanis Street – Curb Extensions and Crosswalk
Project completed
In response to community requests for a crosswalk along Ladysmith Drive, this pilot will trial a crosswalk enhanced with curb extensions created using traffic control islands to determine the potential demand for a marked crossing at this location.
The diagram illustrates the proposed pilot implementation plan. Past studies have indicated that a crosswalk is not warranted but feedback from the community has indicated that it would be used if available. This project will test this “if you build it they will come” premise.
Implementation Rating: Simple
On March 30, 2020 Council voted to initiate a permanent crosswalk and curb extensions at Ladysmith Drive and Kiwanis Street.
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Project completed
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CURB EXTENSIONS to be installed at Ladysmith Drive and Kiwanis Street, Summer 2021
Share CURB EXTENSIONS to be installed at Ladysmith Drive and Kiwanis Street, Summer 2021 on Facebook Share CURB EXTENSIONS to be installed at Ladysmith Drive and Kiwanis Street, Summer 2021 on Twitter Share CURB EXTENSIONS to be installed at Ladysmith Drive and Kiwanis Street, Summer 2021 on Linkedin Email CURB EXTENSIONS to be installed at Ladysmith Drive and Kiwanis Street, Summer 2021 linkIn response to community requests for a crosswalk on Ladysmith Drive, a pilot project was launched in 2018 to trial a marked crosswalk enhanced with curb extensions using temporary traffic control islands.
Prior to making any changes, background data, including vehicle speeds as well as traffic and pedestrian counts, were collected. The temporary measures on Ladysmith Drive at Kiwanis Street were implemented in June 2018. The City’s Transportation Engineering group monitored usage and collected feedback in April - May 2019.
Over the course of the pilot, the crosswalk at Ladysmith and Kiwanis did attract new pedestrian traffic, although not as much as was hoped for to meet technical requirements for a marked crosswalk. Despite this, Council decided to keep the temporary measures in place and voted to make the marked crosswalks and curb extensions permanent. Council feels strongly that investing in pedestrian safety is important in Kenmount Terrace.
Curb extensions - also known as bump-outs - reduce the width of the roadway by extending the boulevard and/or sidewalk into what is currently a parking lane. This shortens the crossing distance for pedestrians and makes pedestrians approaching the crosswalk more visible to drivers, making the crossing safer. They are effective in reducing driver speeds because, although the roadway is wide enough for all types of vehicles, they give the driver a sense of a narrower path. They also require drivers to make turns at the intersection more slowly, giving them more time to see and yield to pedestrians.
Construction of the permanent curb extensions and crosswalk will take place this summer.
