A series of close shaves between cars and pedestrians has led a Students’ Administrative Council (SAC) director to petition the city to install a signalled crosswalk between two engineering buildings on the downtown campus.
Although an interlocking brick crosswalk marks a place to cross between the Bahen Centre and the Galbraith Building at the southern end of St. George St., cars and students still have a hard time figuring out who has the right of way. The bend in St. George as it crosses College St. makes it hard for motorists to see students crossing the street, and very few pedestrians walk several hundred metres south to the lights if they are crossing between the two large engineering buildings. That means the chances for collisions between cars and students are increased.
Howard Tam, an engineering representative on SAC, has been trying to bring push-button signals to the crosswalk by alerting the city of Toronto to the problem. “It’s a student safety issue,” said Tam. “Coming to school should not be that complicated. I am going to school to learn, not to fear for my life.”
Tam got the support of electrical engineers—who are frequent users of the crosswalk—and Toronto city councillor Olivia Chow. Tam said he contacted Chow in order for the city to do something about the situation, because having U of T’s city councillor on-side with the project would speed it through Toronto’s bureaucracy.
A city-commissioned traffic survey was conducted to see if the crosswalk met criteria for the addition of signals. City works technicians counted traffic and a field report came back to conclude that a crosswalk on St. George St. near Russell St. would be justified.
But it was then deemed that St. George was classified, in the city’s parlance, as a minor arterial roadway, and because College St. is 195 metres away, a crosswalk was unnecessary. A traffic engineer with the city’s works department said crosswalks must be at least 200 m away from intersections to merit the addition of a push-button crosswalk.
But the city’s technical criteria do not dissuade Tam: “Lack of funding should not be an excuse in engaging in such situations,” said Tam. “It shouldn’t come down to a dangerous situation before the city realizes what should be done.” Tam compiled several photos of near-misses between cars and students last fall.
In order for a signalled, push-button-activated crosswalk to be installed, the issue must be brought to the attention of the city’s community council. A meeting to be held April 1 at City Hall will allow Tam and others to bring their points forward and goad the city into setting up pedestrian safety features at the busy crossing, Tam said.
Olivia Chow did not return calls before press time.
Photograph by Simon Turnbull
