Yonge and Dundas gets ‘scramble crosswalk’

The City of Toronto is signalling a new direction in traffic management with a pedestrian priority phase implemented at the intersection of Yonge and Dundas Sts. With the introduction of this new initiative, the city is giving priority status to pedestrians by allowing walkers to cross in any direction, including diagonally.

“Yonge and Dundas is one of the busiest intersections in the city of Toronto,” says said councilor Kyle Rae (Ward 27, chair of the economic development and culture committee). “But with the introduction of an exclusive right-of-way for pedestrians, everyone can feel more confident of making it through the intersection safely.”

The pedestrian priority phase has been implemented in a number of other jurisdictions and has reduced conflict between pedestrians and vehicles by separating the flow of traffic and the movement of pedestrians. During Phase A, pedestrians will have exclusive access to the intersection as the traffic lights will be red in all directions to motorists.

To help ensure the smooth transition to a pedestrian priority phase at Yonge and Dundas, the city’s transportation services division will, adjust the timing of lights to allow pedestrians to safely clear the intersection and monitor the intersection to determine whether any adjustments need to be made.

The city will provide traffic assistants initially to help pedestrians cross through the intersection.

“With plans for future growth, a safe, and sustainable transportation network that is friendly to pedestrians and the environment must take priority in Toronto,” said Gary Welsh, General Manager, Transportation Services Division. “This goal will be achieved through a combination of technical, behavioural and structural changes such as the Pedestrian Priority Phase.”

Other intersections where the pedestrian priority phase will be considered for future implementation include: Yonge and Bloor Sts., Bay St. and Bloor St. W., and Bay St. and Dundas St. W.