Motorists seeing red on Edmonton's 124th Street boosts safety, city says

Trendy, artsy, gentrified —124th has been touted in recent years as one of Edmonton's most stylish neighbourhoods and now the city is taking another step in making the strip more appealing.

Crews are covering crosswalks at main intersections between 102nd Avenue and 110th Avenue with a red, plastic veneer that looks like paint. 

"The crosswalk design is to enhance pedestrian safety while adding to the character of the neighbourhood," the city said in a statement to CBC News Wednesday.

It's the first time an 'enhanced' crosswalk was put in at the request of a local business association, the city added. 

Seble Isaac, a business owner and board member of the 124 Street Business Association, welcomes the project. 

"There have been so many close accidents," she said of the intersection in front of the Tiramisu Bistro on 108th Avenue. "This was a very dangerous crosswalk."

With a park across the road and the farmers market on Thursdays, she said it's important for motorists to see pedestrians.

"It just reminds you that you need to slow down and I think you can see it from far, and it's great to have it."

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Several pedestrians along 124th Wednesday agreed it's an admirable and practical project.

"Anything that makes the city more pedestrian-friendly is a great idea," Sarah Mackey said. "Anything that works to put the onus on cars to notice that they're near a crosswalk is a good thing." 

Edmonton's new red crosswalks

7 years ago

Duration 1:01

Some crosswalks along 124th Street are installing red veneer to make them safer.

Lynn Rosemary walks down 124th almost every day. 

"I think this is a good idea because this is a really busy street," Rosemary said. "If you notice the red you'll know to slow down a little bit."​

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However, Mackey questioned the choice of colour. 

"The red is maybe a little inappropriate when you think about the idea that people who don't notice the crosswalks might result in another form of red on the road," she said. "But at least it's eye-catching."

Matthew Lockert works at a local business and agreed the colour scheme could have been more creative. 

"I do feel like it could have been done a little bit better," he said. "Even if all four lanes were different colours it would have been better than just one big giant red circle."

But Lockert agreed the city should continue efforts to revitalize the neighbourhood.

Isaac said the 124 Street Business Association talked about more vibrant designs to liven up the street.

"We were thinking of checkered, yellow and black and you know, some people were saying flowers on it," she said. "Just making it interesting."

She's been told the colours will last about five years.

"This is basic but I think it serves the purpose and I think that's what they were going for." 

The project is estimated to cost $105,000.

To get a sense of how safe they felt, the city surveyed pedestrians at select intersections before moving ahead with the red crosswalks. 

Spokesperson Derek Logan said the city will do more surveys and traffic studies a month or so after the intersections are installed to see if they have made a difference. 

The information gathered will be used to help make decisions on similar projects in other neighbourhoods, the city said. 

@natashariebe