Pedestrians on several Bowen Rd. intersections have a few extra seconds to complete their journey, in a move hoped to improve safety of high-crash locations. (Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

crossing safety

Timing tweak for pedestrians hoped to provide safer crossings at crash-prone Nanaimo intersections

Sep 19, 2023 | 3:28 PM

NANAIMO — A shift in timings for several signalized intersections throughout the city is hoped to provide a safer experience for pedestrians.

The City of Nanaimo has moved to a “leading pedestrian interval” at multiple busy intersections, with the pedestrian ‘walk’ light going green before the vehicles are allowed to go, giving those crossing a three to five second head start on cars, trucks and buses.

Jamie Rose, city manager of transportation, told NanaimoNewsNOW the changes began in the last 12 months and have been focused along the Bowen Rd. corridor.

“It’s likely something we’re going to pursue across the city, some intersections we might identify ahead of a hardware upgrade but as it sits right now we’re just working through on an opportunity basis.”

The delayed signal is set up at the Dufferin Cres., Meredith Rd., Pryde Ave., Buttertubs Dr. and Kenworth Rd. intersections at Bowen Rd., along with Front St. crossings at Church St., Bastion St. and outside the BC Ferries terminal.

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While being chosen largely due to required hardware upgrades, the changes along Bowen Rd. also addressed several high-crash areas.

According to data from ICBC between 2018 and 2022, Bowen Rd. is one of the city’s busiest and most crash-prone roadways.

The Dufferin Cres. intersection ranked second among non-highway intersections for total vehicle incidents with 142, while Meredith Rd. and Northfield Rd. were tied for second for incidents involving pedestrians.

Dufferin Cres. also topped ICBC’s list of intersection crashes involving bicycles.

Vehicle traffic often encroaches onto pedestrian areas, creating conflicts for those crossing the road. (Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Rose said these changes will help improve pedestrian visibility, enabling better communication with vehicles.

“If you imagine a car and a pedestrian waiting at a red light and a ‘don’t walk’, then the green light and ‘walk’ comes up, quite often cars wanting to turn right will dart in front of a pedestrian. What this does is it gives the pedestrian that ability to get out onto the crosswalk and potentially even be past that point of conflict before the car gets the green light.”

Rose added with vehicles turning left, the focus from drivers can be more toward oncoming traffic and not on people walking from one side to another.

Ongoing work to convert Fifth St. and Bruce Ave. to a signalized intersection is also set to include the pedestrian interval modification.

The crossing topped all Nanaimo intersections for crashes involving pedestrians.

“There is a little bit of time delay for drivers who are waiting for a green to come up, but really in the spectrum of a little bit of delay versus the improved safety, safety kind of takes the trump card. I think this is something we’ll see more and more of,” Rose added.

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