Finally some action for dangerous intersection

“I crossed this intersection for three years as a BU student. It is easily the most terrifying thing I have ever done, possibly the most dangerous, and I’m an adventurous person. Very happy to see this intersection lit up.”

— Former Brandon University student Sheri Connery, in a Facebook post

“I have spent the last 28 years taking my life in my hands every time I try to cross there, since Brandon drivers were completely convinced that it was an optional decision whether or not to stop at the crosswalk. It’s improved hugely since they put the lights in. It’s so much safer.”

— BU history professor Lynn MacKay

The pace of change in this city can be agonizingly slow sometimes. Even when the evidence suggests that change is necessary.

On Friday, Brandon University issued a press release informing the city that new crosswalk lights had been installed at the 18th Street and Lorne Avenue intersection that connects to the university’s campus in front of Clark Hall.

“This enhancement significantly improves pedestrian safety … with the installation of three sets of Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs),” the university wrote. “The pedestrian-activated, LED-based warning devices are positioned closer to the ground, ensuring greater visibility within the driver’s line of sight.”

The installation had only been completed a few weeks ago, but already many of the people who need to cross 18th Street to get to class — instructors and students alike — have been praising the change as a much-needed improvement to what has been an increasingly dangerous crossing.

University student concern over the dangerous nature of the Lorne Avenue and 18th Street pedestrian corridor was so great in 2007 that city council received a petition signed by more than 200 Brandon University students demanding that the City of Brandon install crosswalk lights to improve the crosswalk.

It’s important to note that any such installation is a provincial responsibility as 18th Street is also part of Highway 10, where the Manitoba government has jurisdiction. Nevertheless, that effort was spawned by an incident in February of that year in which a woman in her mid-20s was hit by a passing car as she tried to cross 18th Street near the university. That collision was widely blamed on the fact that the crossing was poorly lit.

A similar incident in 2019, in which a nine-year-old boy was struck by a vehicle while crossing 18th at Lorne Avenue and received “scrapes and bruises” as a result, also failed to move the needle.

At the time, the city’s traffic and transportation planner told the Sun following that accident that his department hadn’t received any complaints about the Lorne Avenue crosswalk in the three preceding years. It was suggested then that other lit intersections, such as the 18th Street and Louise Avenue crosswalk, which has a dedicated crosswalk signal light for pedestrians, was a safer alternative.

For what it’s worth, we’re very glad to see that Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure partnered with BU and the City of Brandon to improve safety for pedestrians at that particular corridor.

But ultimately it took the accumulation of data through the university’s BU Ready safety app, according to BU marketing director Grant Hamilton. When a student or a faculty member had a “near miss” at that intersection with a motorist, or someone didn’t stop at the crosswalk, they were encouraged to fill out an online report.

That collected data then convinced the province to do its own traffic study on this section of 18th Street, only to discover what students and area residents have been saying all along — there’s a lot of traffic on 18th and a controlled crosswalk is necessary.

Of course, just having a new set of lights on this crosswalk won’t guarantee that a collision at the intersection won’t happen ever again — both motorists and pedestrians still need to be mindful of this section of roadway, and every street that has a large number of pedestrian access points.

But there’s no doubt this will make things safer for everyone involved. All it took was nearly 20 years, a few high-profile collisions and countless near misses between pedestrians and motorists on one of Brandon’s busiest arteries.

One last note to the city’s traffic and transportation department — what are the chances that we can get similarly well-lit crosswalks for people crossing Victoria Avenue East to get to the Brandon Regional Health Centre?

The crosswalks at Dennis and Russell streets along Victoria are every bit as busy with rushing motorists and pedestrians. And every bit as dangerous.

Or do we need an app for that area, too?