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City to study pedestrian safety concerns |
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Written by Gerald Gauthier LETHBRIDGE HERALD
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Monday, November 16 2009, 9:57 PM |
City administration is to look into possible ways to enhance safety at a downtown crosswalk where an elderly woman was recently killed while crossing the street.
City council gave that direction to administration Monday in response to a written request from the Green Acres Foundation to step up safety measures at the intersection of Scenic Drive South and 5 Avenue South. An 86-year-old woman died a month ago after being struck by a large motorhome as she was walking east across Scenic Drive. She lived in Black Rock Terrace, one of two Green Acres seniors facilities located just west of the intersection.
In a letter to council, foundation chairman Bill Martens stated the woman’s death might have been prevented had stop lines been painted clearly to keep drivers further back from the crosswalk, allowing pedestrians to be seen easier. She was in the crosswalk when the motorhome had the right of way, but she was out of sight of the driver, who was seated high above street level.
Elderly residents often use scooters, wheelchairs or walkers and may be harder to see, especially for drivers of larger vehicles, Martens said.
“A lot of our residents don’t move that fast,” he said.
He also noted that while there is an audible crossing indicator at the south crosswalk, no device is installed at the north crosswalk where the woman was killed. Martens said he’ll ask facility administrators to consider a pedestrian education program for residents to complement the intersection improvements the foundation is seeking.
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