Pedestrian crossing lights are to be installed at the intersection of Main Avenue and Fourth Street.
Council approved the purchase — not to exceed $12,000 from the municipality’s unallocated roads reserve — following a request for decision during the May 7 meeting.
Jim Hall, Sundre’s operations manager, outlined his proposal during a presentation to council.
“I did a little bit of studying over the last year on pedestrian safety,” he said.
Hall said he was “clipped” along the highway while wearing a full work uniform several years ago.
The close call struck a chord, he said, and prompted him to try and figure out a way to improve not only pedestrian safety but also signalization for motorists.
Having seen vertical flashing light standards in some municipalities, Hall told council he started to inquire with Alberta Transportation about the possibility of obtaining similar devices for Sundre either on a trial basis or even permanent installation.
“The ones we have now are designed for you to look up and they’re not very bright. The person that hit me probably didn’t see the lights.”
Main Avenue runs east-west, which means bright sunlight for eastbound traffic in the morning and equally blinding light for westbound drivers in the afternoon, he said.
Although the above-street pedestrian crossing light was removed from Main Avenue when the roundabouts were installed, there remains similar infrastructure at the Bergen Road and Fourth Avenue NW intersections.
Hall said although Alberta Transportation officials seemed favourable towards his suggestion to install vertical lights, his request was declined.
“There’s many municipalities on the wait- and want-list for these devices. Of course I got the line that there’s no money in the budget, albeit I wish they would have been put into the roundabout project, because it is about pedestrian safety.”
He pitched council on the possibility of the municipality purchasing two units to trial on both the north and south sides of the Main Avenue and Fourth Street intersection.
The lights are at a lower level closer to that of a vehicle’s windshield and are also supposed to be visible even through the sun’s bright light, he said. Additionally, he said they could potentially be relocated elsewhere if required in the future.
On top of providing motorists with better signalling for pedestrians who intend to cross, he said the lights will also help to indicate where people should safely cross the street, as some foot traffic still walks across the circle.
If the lights should be deemed successful, Hall said he will push Alberta Transportation officials when infrastructure upgrades get underway in the coming years to install more along Main Avenue.
“I think it will help improve the downtown core’s safety.”
Coun. Cheri Funke motioned to approve the expense — to cost no more than $12,000 — to be drawn from the unallocated roads reserve, initiating a discussion.
Coun. Rob Wolfe spoke in favour of the motion, but took issue with the municipality having to pick up the tab.
“It concerns me that we’re having to spend $12,000 of our taxpayers’ money on an Alberta Transportation highway.”
But since the units can be relocated, such as perhaps to a school zone or the intersection at Joko’s, Wolfe was not opposed.
Coun. Richard Warnock was also on board, and said that having once lived in Airdrie he personally experienced the difference between overhead flashing pedestrian lights and lower, vertically mounted units.
“Drivers with their sun visor down struggle to see them,” Warnock said about overheads, adding the vertical lights improved safety in that municipality.
“Sundre may have to invest in more of these in the future, especially in schools zones or the Bergen Road,” he said, calling the purchase a long-term investment.
“I believe the $12,000 is very well spent.”
Since the roundabouts were installed, Coun. Charlene Preston said she has been concerned about a lack of proper signage for pedestrians who want to cross Main Avenue, and expressed her support for the motion.
Coun. Todd Dalke wondered whether a timeline was in place for new lane design painting including the crosswalks, whether the municipality would require Alberta Transportation’s permission to install the lights, and if once put in place they would belong to the province.
“Are we sure that they don’t get to claim those as theirs after and that we still get to use them and move them at our leisure?”
Hall said he would make every effort to have Alberta Transportation cover the cost in the long run, and was pushing for a timeline, although he expected the painting to be underway by some time this week, depending on the weather. The crosswalks belong to the municipality, and permission to do work on them largely involves simply making provincial officials aware of the situation, he added.
“They’re in favour of this,” he said.
“They’re starting to realize the east-west corridor can be blinding in the morning and evening for a long period of time.”
However, funds are just not available in Alberta Transportation’s budget, he said.
“We’d be just one municipality on a long list.”
Mayor Terry Leslie also spoke in favour of the motion, and said another point to consider is that because Main Avenue is a high load corridor, the overhead lights must often be moved to accommodate large rigs. The vertical, lower-level pedestrian crossing lights addresses that issue as well as foot traffic safety concerns, he said.
“Safety comes first, no matter who has to pay for it,” said Leslie.
The mayor said Hall’s efforts demonstrate an ongoing commitment to work collaboratively with Alberta Transportation, which can only help coordinate the impending infrastructure upgrades that are anticipated in the coming years.
Funke’s motion was carried unopposed.
