New crosswalk on Parklane to aid pedestrians

Melissa Strle
Times Reporter

 

A new proposed crosswalk at the busy intersection of Parklane Drive and Parklane Way will help pedestrians cross the road more safely, with the help of a rectangular rapid flashing beacon (RRFB). This will be the second RRFB installed in the Town of Strathmore.
According to Bryce Mackan, Town of Strathmore’s director of infrastructure, a concern about the busy intersection was brought forward to the town.
“Because of the seniors in the area who use that intersection, a little extra safety precaution could be warranted. We reviewed the site with an engineering consultant and determined that it would be a good spot to add some lighting, especially because there’s a slight bend in the road there,” he said during the Sept. 7 town council meeting.
Currently, there is an existing crosswalk on the east side of the intersection, but it provides no lighting and extra signage, and actually crosses into the driveway of the opposing property. “That’s not where we would like to have pedestrians cross into,” said Mackan.
An RRFB is a solar-powered, pedestrian-activated traffic control device that alerts motorists to the presence of pedestrians using the crosswalk by displaying rapidly flashing amber beacons mounted above the pedestrian crossing signs at the side of the road.
The town is reviewing the proposal to move the existing crosswalk to the west side of the intersection where it will cross into another sidewalk instead of a roadway. “We want to upgrade the wheelchair ramps there and create a better crossing, a safer crossing there,” said Mackan.
He added that there are other areas around town that need updating, but this intersection has been identified as a priority at this time.
Counc. Rocky Blokland voiced his concern with the busy intersection.
“There are a lot of elderly people crossing that road from the housing development plus the Lodge. This is a very serious road with implications. Somebody is going to get hurt there yet,” said Blokland.
The first RRFB in the Town of Strathmore was installed a little over a year ago at the intersection of George Freeman Trail and Edgefield Gate. Mackan said the town has received positive feedback from this RRFB installation.
The new project will require concrete work for new wheelchair ramps and sidewalks, beacons and some line painting.
While the town is looking at two different options for installing the beacons, the option they recommend would increase the number of ramps to seven, as well as increase the sidewalk length in order to connect to the nearest pathway along the south side of Parklane Drive, east of the canal. The approximate cost of this option will be $49,000.
Town council postponed the RRFB installation decision to the next council meeting on Sept. 21 so that it can review the two different proposed installation options.