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View Full Version : Scramble Crosswalks in HRM

Wishblade
Apr 22, 2012, 2:04 PM
The Spring Garden area business association is proposing this. I think its a fantastic idea and is a great intersection to try this out on.

Scramble crosswalk proposed
Spring Garden & Queen targeted

A “scramble crosswalk," allow­ing people to cross an intersec­tion from all directions, includ­ing diagonally, is being proposed on Spring Garden Road in Hali­fax.

The Spring Garden Area Busi­ness Association has asked the Halifax Regional Municipality to put the crosswalk at the corner of Spring Garden and Queen Street after the new library is com­pleted in 2014. “It just creates a great ambi­ance for a walkable city," Nancy Tissington, director of the asso­ciation, said Friday.

rest here: http://thechronicleherald.ca/metro/89115-scramble-crosswalk-proposed
gm_scott
Apr 22, 2012, 3:42 PM
Some of the comments on the article are interesting to say the least.
I say give it a try, wouldn't cost a lot to change back, I don't see why it would fail anyway.
someone123
Apr 22, 2012, 6:47 PM
It may not be a bad idea, but given the city's track record on improvements like this downtown I would not hold my breath.
eastcoastal
Apr 24, 2012, 10:36 AM
What can it hurt to try?

Though, I find the 1 in 4 cycles a bit odd. I'd think that in order to be consistent enough to encourage any meaningful change, it'd have to be more frequent. That said, I don't know what the frequency is in other (successful?) locations.
scooby074
Apr 24, 2012, 1:48 PM
1 in 4 seems too long. I can get to the same place in 2 lights max.

Maybe I'm missing something?
someone123
Apr 24, 2012, 6:45 PM
Even if the "scramble" only happens once every few cycles, it is better for pedestrians. For other cycles you'd have the same setup as now, where pedestrians can walk along parallel with the cars. In the worst case you do your two-stage crossing, and in the best case you walk across a diagonal during the scramble cycle. This is how it works at Yonge and Dundas in Toronto.

By "every 4 cycles" I guess they mean it would be East-West/NS/EW/NS/scramble -> repeat?

The car traffic comments for that story are particularly silly because Spring Garden Road is not a major traffic artery aside from transit. If you are in a car and in a hurry you're better off taking a different street, which makes sense. Pedestrian-oriented commercial streets should not be used as traffic arteries.