If you were in the area of 107 Avenue and 124 Street in Edmonton on Thursday, you may have been wondering why crews were painting a crosswalk pink.
According to the city, the paintjob, which it calls “decorative enhanced crosswalks,” is something coming to seven other intersections across Alberta’s capital in an effort to make it safer for pedestrians to cross the street.
“This is the first time an enhanced crosswalk design was implemented in a business improvement area and at the request of the local business association,” Derek Logan, a spokesperson for the city’s parks and roads department, told Global News in an email. “The project is budgeted at $105,000.
“It is an example where engineering, creativity and community input together came up with a unique solution to a traffic safety issue.”
READ MORE: Current budget only tackles a fraction of Edmonton’s problem crosswalks
Watch below: A new report shows hundreds of Edmonton intersections needs to be upgraded to make crossing the streets safer. Fletcher Kent filed this report on April 27, 2018.
Logan said the first enhanced crosswalks were installed last month. The project is the result of traffic studies and pedestrian surveys at select intersections to measure pedestrian and driver behaviour.
“Further traffic studies and pedestrian surveys will be conducted a month after the final intersection has enhanced crosswalks installed to see if they impact driver and pedestrian behaviour,” Logan said. “The information gathered from these studies will be used to help inform decisions on similar projects in other neighbourhoods.”
READ MORE: Expect changes to pedestrian buttons at Edmonton crosswalks next year
Logan added the enhanced crosswalks are also aimed at adding to the character of the neighbourhoods they’re in.
People can give the city feedback on the 124 Street crosswalk here.
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