Skip to content

Intersection safety measures to be evaluated

intersectionsafety
The City of Airdrie is looking into installing intersection safety devices in dangerous areas to enhance safety for both motorists and pedestrians. File Photo/Rocky View Publishing

The City of Airdrie is exploring the possibility of installing intersection safety devices (ISD) throughout the community, in both controlled and uncontrolled intersections.

“Intersections are high-risk locations for collisions,” said Lynn Mackenzie, team leader with Municipal Enforcement (ME), in a report to council at a regular meeting Oct. 7. “Risky behaviours like speeding and running red lights have serious consequences, including collision, injury and death. These consequences are preventable.”

In April, council requested staff review intersection safety and collision and traffic data to determine if precautions and tools – such as advanced ambers, red-light cameras and increased patrols – would make the City’s intersections safer. Engineering services provided ME with collision records, but Mackenzie noted these records provide limited insight, as they do not address variables like direction of travel or road conditions.

Additionally, she said, safety reviews of Airdrie’s intersections are conducted regularly, evaluating aspects like design, sight lines, signal operation, signs and pavement markings, vulnerable users and potential hazards.

“Engineering services anticipates that up to 18 signalized intersections will receive some form of review and potential changes this year,” Mackenzie said.

Yellow and all-red interval times, according to the report, are used throughout Canada to provide consistency for motorists. While Mackenzie said adding additional yellow or all-red interval times is feasible, these would reduce the overall green interval time – potentially increasing delays and congestion.

“As congestion increases, drivers are more likely to take risks,” she said, “resulting in reduced intersection safety.”

Over a 12-hour period on a Friday, a project conducted by City staff at two high-volume intersections – Yankee Valley Boulevard and Main Street (eastbound traffic) and Veterans Boulevard and Main Street (westbound traffic) – indicated more than 970 vehicles passed through at speeds greater than 15 kilometres per hour above the posted limit.

Intersection safety is a priority for both ME and Airdrie RCMP, Mackenzie added, noting that in 2018, ME wrote 345 violation tickets and RCMP wrote 915 tickets in relation to intersection offences – failure to obey a stop sign, running a red light or failing to yield to a pedestrian.

“Some challenges that law enforcement face in enforcing intersection-safety offences include officer safety, the court process, logistics and evidence,” she said.

According to Mackenzie’s report, while advanced ambers and increased patrols come with these additional risks, statistics around the use of ISDs in other municipalities indicate positive results.

“The ability to use ISDs provides a useful tool for law enforcement agencies and municipalities in their efforts to continue to make roads safer,” she said.

While high-volume intersections like those along Yankee Valley Boulevard are responsible for a greater number of reported collisions, Coun. Candice Kolson said a major concern for Airdronians are actually uncontrolled intersections or four-way stops where speeding or failing to stop can result in tragedy for local families.

“The biggest complaint we get is school zones, playground zones, residential streets, people [are] going too fast,” she said. “We have a very young population and kids playing in the street all the time.”

With council’s unanimous approval, administration will return with approximate costs, the various delivery models available and the pros and cons of using ISDs to enhance intersection safety in more dangerous areas within the community.

An appropriate communications plan would be developed, Mackenzie added, to inform residents of any traffic safety measures that may be implemented as a result of the upcoming report.



Comments


No Facebook? No problem.

Here is how you can stay connected to the Airdrie City View and access local news in your community:

Bookmark our homepage for easy access to local news.
Pick up a copy of our newspaper and read local news that you cannot get elsewhere.
Sign up for our FREE newsletters to have local news & more delivered daily to your email inbox.
Download our mobile icon to have access to our news right at your fingertips.

push icon
Be the first to read breaking stories. Enable push notifications on your device. Disable anytime.
No thanks