Published: 1 August 2011

Improvements to traffic light sequencing on Northbourne Avenue have reduced waiting times for walkers, and have almost halved their rate of dangerous crossings.

The Canberra Pedestrian Forum told the ACT Government in May that Northbourne Avenue was a road danger black spot. It highlighted pedestrian behaviour at the Notrhbourne/Macarthur/Wakefield Avenue intersection, with thirty per cent of pedestrians crossing mid-block and forty per cent crossing against red signals. Each of these behaviours is eight times as dangerous as crossing at a green signal, according to the Pedestrian Forum’s Convenor Leon Arundell. The Pedestrian Forum recommended re-timing Northbourne Avenue’s pedestrian signals.

The Government recently re-timed the signals at the intersection of Northbourne, Macarthur and Wakefield Avenues.

The Pedestrian Forum has conducted a follow-up survey, which shows dramatic results. Simply re-timing the pedestrian signals has reduced risk by a third.

Crossings against red lights are down thirty per cent, and mid-block crossings have been halved. Walkers are now three times as likely to meet a green signal, and to cross safely without delay.

The most significant change, according to Mr Arundell, was introducing auto-start for pedestrians crossing Wakefield and Macarthur Avenues. “If you pressed the button a second after the Northbourne Avenue vehicles started moving, you previously faced a red pedestrian signal for two minutes,” he says, “even though you had plenty of time to safely cross. Most people ignored the red signal and crossed anyway.”

Auto-start means that the pedestrian signal goes green whenever the the vehicle signal goes green. The change means no delay for drivers, because the fifty-five second Northbourne Avenue vehicle phase is more than long enough to accommodate a twenty second pedestrian phase across Wakefield and Macarthur Avenue. This system had previously been implemented at some intersections in Civic.

Other changes allow some pedestrians to cross Northbourne Avenue without having to wait for an additional cycle of the traffic signals, and allow a second right-turn phase for drivers turning from Northbourne Avenue, when traffic conditions permit.

Transport Minister Simon Corbell has declined to comment on whether this system will be extended to other intersections on Northbourne Avenue, or elsewhere in Canberra.

Media Contact:
Leon Arundell, Convener

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