Latest news with #pedestriansafety
CBC
2 hours ago
- CBC
Recent collisions has councillor mulling ban on right turns at red lights
A recent string of vehicle collisions with pedestrians and cyclists, including a fatal incident in mid-July, has one Ottawa city councillor planning to ask the city to consider a ban on drivers turning right while facing a red light. Somerset Coun. Ariel Troster said Thursday she'll ask the city to mull options, including a city-wide ban and one just affecting the downtown core. Troster, who sits on the city's public works and infrastructure committee, said she witnessed the aftermath of a collision at the corner of Lisgar and Elgin streets on Wednesday that left a male cyclist "in agony." Paramedics said he suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to hospital in stable condition. Earlier on Wednesday, another cyclist was struck at Bank Street and Gladstone Avenue, sustained serious injuries, and was taken to hospital in serious but stable condition, according to paramedics. Both collisions involved cyclists who, according to witness accounts, were traveling in the wrong direction while vehicles were executing lawful right turns. Those incidents followed a more serious one on July 7, near a crosswalk at Elgin Street and Laurier Avenue W., in which a female pedestrian was hit by a truck and died. Troster said she's heard concerns about how banning right turns at red lights could negatively impact traffic flow but said the pros outweighed the cons. "Our neighbourhoods need to be safe, and if it means slowing down the flow of traffic, even just a little bit to make sure that that person can make it across the street, it's worth it," she told CBC. Local cycling advocacy group Bike Ottawa said it supported Troster's idea, adding that a more robust network of protected bike lanes in the city would help too. Beacon Hill-Cyrville Coun. Tim Tierney chairs the public works and infrastructure committee. He said he prefers a more targeted approach to improving pedestrian safety. Money from the city's speed cameras can help reconstruct intersections to make them safer, he said. While acknowledging that banning right turns at red lights would need to undergo professional evaluation by engineers, Tierney said such a measure struck him as potentially making things more dangerous. "Now [drivers will try] to turn at the same time all the pedestrians are crossing through the intersection, creating even greater conflict," he said.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
One of London's most dangerous junctions set for overhaul as TfL unveils radical safety plans
Plans to change one of London's 'most dangerous' junctions have been broadly supported by residents and businesses, though several said they feel safe navigating it already. The East London roads in the heart of Shoreditch have seen 23 collisions – and 27 injuries – in the last three years. On Monday (July 21) Londoners were invited to share their views on a slew of measures put forward by Transport for London (TfL) to improve safety at the junction connecting Shoreditch High Street, Great Eastern Street and Commercial Road. To make it safer, TfL is planning to create new 'high quality' crossings for cyclists and pedestrians, install new dedicated cycle lanes and widen the pavements to 'tackle road danger'. The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) visited Shoreditch to ask locals about the proposals and how safe they felt in the area. Judith Yau, who lives nearby the junction she uses regularly to get to work, approved. 'The roads feel too cramped, and drivers are sometimes unpredictable,' she said, while adding that she felt safe on the whole as a pedestrian and liked walking to her office in the city from Shoreditch. TfL's plans include removing a slip road which cuts through one of the junction's pedestrian islands, to give pedestrians more room and make way for a dedicated cycle lane. Product Manager Liberatus Fusi-Akponodo, who commutes to his nearby office but used to work in micro-mobility, supported this idea. 'It creates a bit of a blind spot, and changing it would have been high on my priority list,' he said. 'Although I personally feel safe in the area, I have a high-risk tolerance. London's transport can be unnerving spaces for different parts of the population, like people who have mobility issues or who just don't have the confidence to be out on the roads.' Two bar workers in The Queens Head pub opposite the junction, where two upgraded pedestrian crossings are planned, backed the idea of more cycle lanes, if only to support the explosion of e-cycles in Shoreditch. 'Lime Bikes are everywhere here,' said Assistant Manager Ariana Schiavo. Her colleague, Adam Khan, agreed the changes were a good idea but said he did not find the roads particularly unsafe. He said: 'Honestly, I like the area as it is. It works.' Up ahead from the junction is the mouth of Bethnal Green Road, which sees many people pass through either on their lunch break or to get to and from Shoreditch High Street Overground station. TfL has also suggested banning left turns coming into this road for all vehicles apart from buses, and putting in new crossing lights with ticking countdowns. Christy Tilley, who works near Commercial Street and sometimes passes through this road to grab lunch from Pret, did not have much faith in the idea. 'If you look at the street you'll see no-one can really be bothered to wait to cross, can they?' Thirty-one-year old Kenneth Ikpefura, owner of doughnuts business Puff Puff Man, sells sweet treats from his food van in front of the railway arches. 'Banning left traffic seems like a good idea, but it might cause lots more congestion from other places,' he said. However, in his eyes the roads were generally safe for pedestrians, who were more at risk from having their phones snatched on 'rare' occasions. Ellie Waterhouse, a 'keen, confident cyclist', has cycled through the area for years including when she worked in the nearby Starbucks. She praised the emergence of more cycle lanes, which had helped restore her confidence after being knocked off her bike, and argued that a new one on the High Street would mean fewer bike riders mounting the pavement. 'There's a false dichotomy between cars and cyclists, and it's a hard balancing act for TfL. Whether you're a cyclist or driver, often people talk about being 'in traffic', when in fact they are the traffic,' Ellie added. 'I wouldn't describe this place as very unsafe but I'm more experienced. Big lorries and vehicles can be very intimidating for newbies though.' Londoners can visit TfL's webpage for more details and to share their thoughts on the plans. The consultation period is open until September 12, 2025.
CBS News
24-07-2025
- CBS News
West LA neighbors fed up with dangerous driving paint their own crosswalks around popular park
Some West Los Angeles residents fed up with dangerous drivers took matters into their own hands, painting their own crosswalks around a popular park, despite city leaders disapproving of their actions. Stoner Park, located on Stoner Avenue in the Sawtelle neighborhood, is known for it's long list of activities that draw people from all over, including swimming, fields for sports, biking, skating and plenty of room for kids to play. The group of concerned residents say that lack of action from the city of Los Angeles led them to draw crosswalks around the park, something they believe will lead drivers to slow down while driving through the area. "Los Angeles is dangerous for pedestrians, and it's not built for pedestrians," said Jonathan Hale, one of the organizers who credits Crosswalks Collective as the inspiration for the project. "It shouldn't be the case that we need to have a pedestrian injured or killed before we decide to take basic safety improvements." They painted yellow-striped crosswalks on each of the four intersections surrounding the park. "Traffic definitely stops now," said Niel Ims, a resident in the area. "I think perhaps before they would just kind of blow through it, but that slowed everybody down of course." Hale said that he's hopeful it spurs the city to take additional action, while he waits to hear if he faces any consequences from the project, since the city says that unauthorized alterations to public streets is illegal — even if done in good faith. "It would take a lot more effort to actually get the approval necessary to get it done, than actually do the work," he said. "So, I figured why not just do it myself." CBS News Los Angeles has not yet heard back from the Department of Transportation upon request for comment on the new crosswalks.
CBS News
24-07-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Sunset Park hit-and-run prompts renewed calls for Brooklyn street redesign
After two pedestrians were killed in a hit-and-run, traffic safety advocates are urging the city to act on long-promised safety upgrades along Brooklyn's Third Avenue corridor. Nearly two weeks ago, police say 80-year-old Kex Un Chen and 59-year-old Faqui Lin were struck and killed while crossing Third Avenue and 52nd Street. The driver has since been arrested and charged, but the crash has reignited demands from local leaders and residents to redesign the corridor entirely. Advocates who gathered Wednesday say they'll keep pressing until the city finally slows this street down. "We wait until someone dies. We wait until a tragedy. We wait to say, 'oh my gosh, how could this possibly have happened?' We let this happen time and time again," Brooklyn State Senator Andrew Gounardes said. "We want the city to actually commit real capital to make sure that it can do treatments that truly address the safety concerns while balancing the fact that we have an industrial business zone here," City Councilmember Alexa Avilés said. Advocates say this is not a new issue. According to activists, 80 New Yorkers have been killed or seriously injured along the two-mile stretch of Third Avenue since 2018. "We started talking about a plan in 2014 and it's now 2025. What is going on? We got word last fall that there was a pause, but an indefinite pause and I don't know what that means. There's been no conversation, no updates," Assemblymember Marcela Mitaynes said. One of the most dangerous intersections, according to residents, is at 60th Street, where there are three schools, an overpass with poor lighting and proximity to a highway ramp converge. "They speed off the ramp coming to this local street thinking it's a race," said Jerry Chan, Vice Chair of Public Safety for Brooklyn Community Board 7. "We can hear the endless din of really, really large trucks, all kinds of cars, treating this neighborhood street as a highway," said Alexa Sledge, Director of Communications at Transportation Alternatives. In response, City Hall issued a statement which reads: "The Adams administration is committed to enhancing safety and accessibility throughout the city so that all New Yorkers — whether they're walking, biking, or driving — can move through their neighborhoods safely. Prior to making any major changes to a corridor, we receive comprehensive input from community members and local businesses to ensure every voice is heard. The Department of Transportation is currently integrating public feedback into project planning to determine next steps." The roar of trucks and speeding cars along Brooklyn's Third Avenue corridor is a constant reminder of the dangers that lurk along the local street. For Jane Martin-Lavaud, it's deeply personal. "The traffic is a wee bit triggering," she told Brooklyn reporter Hannah Kliger. "When a traumatic event like this occurs, you feel very much isolated and betrayed by the universe." Martin-Lavaud, a member of Families for Safe Streets, wiped away tears while holding a photo of her daughter, 24-year-old daughter Leonora Lavaud. Twelve years ago, Leonora was killed by a driver in Gravesend. Since then, her mother dedicated herself to traffic safety advocacy. "Who wants to have police at the door? Who wants to get that phone call? Who wants to have to go and show up at the city morgue and identify their child in a body bag?" she said. Have a story idea or tip in Brooklyn? Email Hannah by CLICKING HERE.
Yahoo
20-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
District of North Vancouver councillor wants to make bike bells mandatory
A District of North Vancouver (DNV) councillor wants to make bike bells mandatory in his community and wants to see other municipalities in B.C. follow suit. During a June 23 council meeting, Jim Hanson put forward a motion to create a bylaw mandating bells on bicycles out of concern for pedestrian safety. "I think it's important as we move towards active transportation, building out our bike lanes [and] that we make our multi-user paths, pedestrian and cycling paths safe for everyone and courteous," he told CBC's On The Coast. Often, if cyclists don't have bells, they shout "on your left" or some variation of that to let people on foot know there's a bike coming up behind them, so as not to startle them. But Hanson said some people find that "aggressive." "Not everyone who's walking along the paths wants to hear people yelling at them," he said, adding that some people, seniors, for example, may hear the sound of a bell better than the sound of someone's voice. "I just don't believe it to be courteous for cyclists to be hollering out at pedestrians as they go down these paths." He pointed to the City of Vancouver, where the bylaw states that cyclists must have a bell on their bicycle. But not everyone realizes that's the rule; Duncan Wilcock, who often rides his e-bike in communities throughout the Lower Mainland, wasn't aware of that until this motion came about. But he said requiring bells on bikes won't solve the problem of pedestrians and cyclists trying to share pathways respectfully. "Mandating a bike bell is not the same as somebody actually being socially considerate," he said. DNV Mayor Mike Little suggested during the council meeting that bells may, in fact, be required by the province, but the Ministry of Transportation confirmed to CBC News that bicycles are not required to have bells or horns under the Motor Vehicle Act, and those rules are the responsibility of municipalities. Coun. Jordan Back wondered how such a bylaw would be enforced. "I think that would be really challenging," he said during the June 23 meeting. He suggested education and signage instead to encourage courtesy on multi-use paths. "I think any time you start mandating something like this, it just is going to create a whole other thing for us to try and manage and enforce." Wilcock, a volunteer with HUB Cycling — a non-profit organization that promotes cycling in Vancouver — said municipalities should focus on building separate pathways for people on foot and people on bikes. "People in the cars get to travel side by side. Why shouldn't the people walking have plenty of room to walk side by side? Same with people on bikes," he said. "The conflict is happening because people are on a multi-use path, because it's squished too close together, people travelling different speeds. That's the root of the problem." Hanson hopes the DNV does eventually make bike bells a requirement on city pathways and streets, and that other communities on the North Shore follow suit. Ultimately, he said, he plans to take the issue of bike bells to the Union of B.C. Municipalities, calling for bills on bikes as a provincial rule. "I think we need to normalize bell usage. I mean, we've normalized helmet use for cycling. We need to develop a way of life that involves courtesy on our multimodal paths and safety, and I think bells on bikes is an idea whose time has come on a provincewide basis."
