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Traffic Light at Swan Lake / Amica and Mint Leaf Gate

I have received a lot of calls and e-mails about the difficulty pedestrians are having with the crossing of 16th Avenue.  Cars are lined up and pedestrians are getting stranded in the middle of the road when the light changes.

I have had meetings with our Supervisor of Traffic Operations and Engineering Department and have also worked with the counterpart at the Region.  This is more complicated that some intersections because 16th Avenue is a Regional Road.  

We have had studies done of the intersection and the results have confirmed that there are problems. 

In order to help, the timing of the lights has been stretched to the limit and when the buttons are pushed, it delays the cycle to permit the pedestrians to cross. 

The study found that many pedestrians were not pushing the button, or were pushing the wrong button.  They also found that pedestrians were starting across the road well into the green light, and then were getting stranded in the middle of the road.  

The Region of York will be circulating educational material to the local senior residents surrounding the intersection and they are installing pedestrian Count-Down displays to help the pedestrians time the crossing.  A work order has been issued so I anticipate they will be installed during February 2007.