Montreal invests $58.5M to add pedestrian crossing signals to all traffic lights

The Ville de Montreal unveiled new safety measures today aimed at protecting pedestrians.

The $58.5 million project, slated to take place over the next three years, will add pedestrian crossing signals to all traffic lights throughout the city.

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The project will add four to six seconds to existing traffic lights, giving foot travellers more time to cross at intersections. The longer six-second crossing time will be added to high-risk intersections, specifically those located in school and hospital zones.

In a series of French tweets, Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante said the new project will make roads safer for “all users.”

La @MTL_Ville agit sur tous les fronts pour la sécurité des usagers de la route. Aujourd’hui, nous annonçons 1️⃣ que toutes les intersections de Montréal munies de feux de circulation seront désormais dotées de feux piétons 🚦(1/3) #VisionZéro #polmtl pic.twitter.com/BHqBRAhRBC

— Valérie Plante (@Val_Plante) November 18, 2019

La protection des usagers les + vulnérables doit être une obsession. C’est pourquoi nous allons augmenter de 43% les sommes allouées aux feux piétons, en plus de multiplier les mesures d’aménagements pour les piétons – ce que nous sommes toutes et tous à la base. (3/3) #polmtl

— Valérie Plante (@Val_Plante) November 18, 2019

According to the Ville de Montreal’s Facebook page, 1,985 intersections across the city will be updated throughout the three-year project.

Ville de Montreal/Facebook

The safety measures are being put into place after 19 pedestrians died in 2019 relating to crosswalk and intersection incidents.