General Road and Highway Discussion

[danbrotherston]

I haven't seen any drawings for this project, but is there some sort of consideration for pedestrians/active transportation like flashing beacons or an underpass (like what's proposed at Franklin)? 

I've always viewed Westmount as the "safe" way to cross the highway, so losing this crossing to another standard Region roundabout would be pretty depressing. I'm concerned that the Region views the pedestrian bridge as the designated alternative, which is completely out-of-the-way for most trips in the Westmount/Fischer-Hallman area. Thankfully I don't live in the area, so it won't change my commute either way.

edit: just to add to this, I almost always see 4-5 people crossing this intersection as pedestrians every time I'm in the area. I'm just speculating, but is this the intersection with the highest pedestrian volumes of any that the Region has converted to a roundabout? Most have been intersections along the periphery of the Region, or along collectors through sparsely populated suburbs. This intersection has two schools within walking distance and dense housing surrounding nearby. I just worry that the Region hasn't done their diligence to consider all road users in this case.

Nope...

Regional roundabout standards are state of the art for pedestrian access...they have....umm...painted crosswalks...and drivers um...must yield...if they don't...well they'll kill someone and have to feel very very bad about it.

The busiest large regional roundabout in terms of pedestrian traffic is almost certainly Homer-Watson and Block Line...it has a school which generates a lot of pedestrian traffic. Admittedly I'm less familiar with Cambridge so there might be other contenders there.

I would be interested to see ped traffic history at places which were converted from a signalized intersection into a roundabout. I feel like the data would probably be pretty damning. People simply don't walk there anymore...I don't think regional engineers understand this, but I don't think they'd care either way.

At least the last time I engaged with them, they felt roundabouts solved most of their problems, and if pedestrians wouldn't use them, it's because they're stupid and wrong. After all, a fender bender with a car is much better than being t-boned...which of course is a big difference for everyone except a pedestrian or cyclist.