Questions we are often asked:
- It would be much safer for people to cross the road if there was a crosswalk here. Who do I contact about getting one installed?
- Who makes the decision about installing a crosswalk in my town?
- I want to have a crosswalk painted with rainbow colours on our street. Who do I contact about getting one installed?
The installation of pedestrian crosswalks on provincial highways requires the approval of the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DTI). If the provincial roadway is located within the boundaries of a municipality, the municipality must support the installation location. As a result, requests for the installation of a crosswalk within a municipality should be submitted to the municipal office. Municipalities have the authority to determine appropriate crosswalk locations on municipal roads within their boundaries.
The Traffic Safety section of DTI’s Operations Branch applies national warrants and guidelines along with technical experience and engineering judgement to determine if a location is suitable for the installation of a crosswalk, and which type of crosswalk treatment (eg. regular signs and pavement markings or pedestrian activated overhead flashing lights and signs) should be installed.
A crosswalk location evaluation includes determination of available stopping sight distance, the number and type of pedestrians crossing the roadway, and the number and speed of motor vehicles in the area. If a crossing location does not experience regular daily usage by a significant number of pedestrians, motorists who frequently drive through the area are less likely to respect a crosswalk and the pedestrians who do use it. Particularly for lower volume roads, an unmarked crosswalk encourages pedestrians to cross the roadway using more caution and is considered safe.
The existence of a crosswalk does not automatically make it safe to cross a roadway. While motorists are required to yield the right of way to pedestrians at a pedestrian crossing, it is the responsibility of the pedestrian to use extreme caution when crossing a roadway, checking all directions for on-coming traffic and only crossing the road when they can safely do so. Be sure that approaching traffic sees you and is going to stop before stepping into the roadway.
If you feel an area should be evaluated for the installation of a crosswalk, please contact your local municipal office. If the location is outside of a municipality, please send your request detailing the specific area and the concern(s) to [email protected] .
Pedestrian Crossing Ahead Sign Pedestrian Crossing Sign
