PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS GET SMART

Aiming to improve efficiency and safety at busy intersections, the government will install the smart pedestrian crossing technology over a two-year period.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said the decision follows successful trials in Logan, the Gold Coast and Bundaberg.

“Compared with standard signalised crossings, which use a timer, these smart crossings will use sensors to detect pedestrian movement and adjust the amount of time required to cross,” Bailey said. “This means pedestrians can cross safely without having to rush, and for motorists it means less waiting when there are fewer pedestrians using the crossing,”

The detectors hold left- and right-turn red arrow signals, a feature that helps protect pedestrians from turning vehicles.

“Trials at Slacks Creek, Broadbeach, Main Beach and Bundaberg demonstrated marked improvements in traffic efficiency and pedestrian safety, which is why we’re now investing $3 million through the Camera Detected Offence Program,” Bailey continued.

The program rollout will begin later this year with locations prioritised based on length, high traffic and pedestrian volumes, those used by mobility-impaired pedestrians and cyclists and crossings near hospitals.

Via Roads Online