That the report from Shane Loftus, Manager, Transportation Right of Way and Safety, Road Maintenance, Operations and Fleet, Public Works and Engineering, to the Committee of Council Meeting of May 24, 2023, re: Timing of Traffic Signals and Pedestrian Crossings at Intersections (RM 43/2022), be received; and
Whereas historically, traffic signals are designed to assign right of way to vehicle and pedestrian movements at an intersection with the objective to balance demand, minimize delay and provide the necessary information for all users to safely navigate through the intersections; and
Whereas the City of Brampton prioritizes pedestrian safety in support of Vision Zero and active transportation; and
Whereas pedestrian crossing times are the basic building blocks of intersection signal timings and determine the rest of the traffic signal phasing; and
Whereas most intersections require pedestrians to use the “push button” to activate the pedestrian walk signal; and
Whereas at traffic signals that change without the corresponding walk signal, pedestrians will oftentimes risk their own safety to save time and cross anyways; and
Whereas the requirement of a pedestrian to push a “push button” shows that intersections are prioritizing vehicular traffic over pedestrian traffic;
Therefore Be It Resolved:
That staff report back on the implementation, including any associated costs, of having all intersections automatically display the walk signal between 6:00 am – 11:59 pm including the possibility of a phased in approach beginning in pedestrian heavy areas.