It’s been just over a year since Duncan City Council implemented a scramble-style crossing at the intersection of Ingram and Canada Avenue
Over the trial phase, the intersection has been tweaked periodically based on feedback from pedestrians and drivers.
Councilor Jenni Capps moved to approve a permanent scramble crossing implementation and review surrounding intersections to direct traffic away from the downtown core.
She said with over 1000 new housing units expected soon she feels the city needs to increase pedestrian and cyclist safety and encourage people to take other routes around downtown.
“We want people to go to downtown not through downtown,” she said at Duncan City Council’s September 9th meeting.
Councilor Bruce was opposed to a permanent implementation of the scramble crosswalk. “I think what we have going on right now is torturous to the city, it makes no sense whatsoever. It’s absolutely choking the city.”
Bruce added that the city should “bring it back to something sensible.”
Councilor McKinlay said he conducted an experiment where he watched the intersection for two hours from a nearby parking lot where he saw “30 people crossed that intersection, 5 used the scramble the rest used the regular routes.”
The motion passed in a 3 to 2 vote, with Councilor Bruce and McKinlay opposed.
