Temporary pedestrian lights the latest in Rawlins Cross intersection upgrades

More changes are coming to Rawlins Crossjust over a year after the complicated St. John's intersection was turned into a roundabout as part of a pilot project to improve traffic flow through the area.

"We're going to put in some crosswalk signals similar to the ones nearMemorial University," Coun. Debbie Hanlon told CBC News shortly after the city's weekly public council meeting.

Currently, the intersection's crosswalksthrough the intersection have no signaling device. Pedestrians must wait for traffic to stop before crossing the street. Cars often don't stop at all.

The city will install temporary rapid rectangular flashing beacons that will become permanent installations if the plan moves into another pilot project for the intersection, Hanlon said. Otherwise,the lights can be removed and placed elsewhere in the city.

"We have identified several areas in the city where they're required, so we'll move them to those areas if needed," Hanlon said.

Why now?

Hanlon said the flashing pedestrian lights are only being installed now after gathering information from the public as the roundabout pilot project moved forward.

The city had previously installed speed bumps, traffic barriers and street markings.

Funding will come from the city's crosswalk improvements fund, Hanlon said.

"This is going to be fairly quick. We're looking at this as soon as possible. Now that we've approved, they'll be ordered and they'll be in fairly quick. I'd say within a month," she said.

As for the roundabout pilot project, Hanlon said the city has received thousands of comments from the public, with morein favour of keeping it in place than not.

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