In any caring conscientious society, we look out for one another and strive to ensure safe access, especially in public places and spaces, is afforded to all.
We also have provincial and federal acts that set out the regulations, standards and guidelines that all government agencies must abide by.
Tactile walking surface indicators are textured ground surfaces designed to alert or guide pedestrians who have limited or no vision.
With raised domes or bars, these indicators are intended to be detectable underfoot when walking or by a cane, to highlight hazards like intersections and ensuring safe independent navigation.
Recently, the Ministry of Transportation made several improvements to the east side of Highway 17 at Beacon Avenue in Sidney, benefitting cyclists and pedestrians.
These improvements included the installation of six tactile walking surface indicators, three of which were installed at angles that actually guide the pedestrian with limited or no vision directly into harm’s way.
Two are angled towards the middle of the highway intersection and a third is angled to guide the pedestrian into the eastbound driving lanes on Beacon Avenue.
When I raised the matter with town staff, I was told they were already “aware of the problem, that they were endeavouring to bring it to the attention of the ministry, however, the town has no authority or jurisdiction to directly cause an immediate fix.
The Town is constrained by matters of jurisdiction as the intersection falls completely within the authority of the province.
On April 2, I wrote to the ministry’s roads area manager as well as the district technician.
I was informed by them that “according to engineering, the tactile mats are installed to provide friction on a slope so it’s not slippery during cold weather and therefore not perfectly in line with the sidewalk.” There is negligible slope to speak of at this intersection.
But even if there were slopes, that argument does not justify angling the tactile panels in a manner that guides the sight-challenged pedestrian directly into the middle of a highway intersection.
However, the district technician did say that they were working with the contractor to straighten them out as “it has becomes a big concern for the public.” I was told the issue would be fixed in a couple of weeks.
That was on April 8.
On April 30, seeing that the pads are still as they were originally installed, I sent a short email asking for a status update.
I heard nothing back and as of May 11, still nothing has been done to correct the alignment of the pads that lead the trusting sight-challenged members of our society into harm’s way.
Sidney staff have been unsuccessful in effecting the necessary fix.
This member of the public is now being ignored by ministry staff – perhaps believing I will go away.
I now ask that Sidney’s mayor and council flex their municipal muscle and rattle some ministry cages to ensure fixing the safety issues at the highway are a priority and done forthwith.
Barbara Fallot
Sidney highway improvements, sight-challenged pedestrians, Highway 17 safety, tactile walking surface, Beacon Avenue, Ministry of Transportation, Barbara Fallot