Calgary pedestrian strategy given stop sign until April

Calgary's pedestrian strategy has been held over until April with some city councillors looking for more details on the $15 million, 50-point plan.

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The goal is to make the city safer for people who walk, with a key part of the strategy being a reduction in residential speed limits from 50 km/h to 40.

More flashing lights at crosswalks are also on the list.

Coun. Druh Farrell says the strategy will improve safety and encourage more people tohit the streets.

Some communities have already reduced speed limits and have reported fewer collisions.

Some city councillors wanted more detailsbefore arriving at a final decision, at a meeting Wednesday.

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Councillors decided to delay debating the strategy until April when they'll get more information ... including running a pilot of the lower speed limit in additional communities.

Coun. Evan Woolley, however, says he's against that idea.

"I do not think we need a pilot to demonstrate 40 km/h saves lives, reduces injuries and is something that every single one of my communities I know out of the 20 of them, is talking about," Woolley said.

On average, nine pedestrians die each year from being hit by a vehicle and another 350 are hit.