Barrhaven roundabouts will soon be converted to Crossovers
The rules governing Barrhaven roundabouts are about to change.
Barrhaven roundabouts will soon be subject to Ontario`s new pedestrian crossover rules. Drivers (including cyclists) will be required to stop and yield the whole roadway at pedestrian crossovers and school crossings where there is a crossing guard displaying a school crossing stop sign.
These new rules only apply to pedestrian crossovers identified with specific signs, road markings and lights – the new rules do not apply to pedestrian crosswalks at intersections with stop signs or traffic signals, unless a school crossing guard is present.
It’s important to take note of the new rules as it represents a significant change to the current methodology on roundabout use.
The new law, part of Making Ontario’s Roads Safer Act, also provides municipal road authorities the ability to install new types of pedestrian crossovers on low speed, low volume roads in addition to the existing crossovers.
The new crossovers will be gradually introduces at 44 locations throughout the city during the month of June.
Here are the locations of pedestrian crossovers in Barrhaven:
- Beatrice/ Mountshannon at Longfields
- Berrigan at Longfields
- Cambrian at Greenbank
- Cedarview at Jockvale
- Exeter/ Tartan at Jockvale
- Fable/ Weybridge at Jockvale
One of the important elements to take note of is that you must wait for pedestrians to completely cross both halves of the road before proceeding. Drivers will be fined $150 to $500 and 3 demerit points for offences at pedestrian crossings, school crossings and at crosswalks where there are traffic signals.
This defeats the purpose of what a roundabout is used for. This will not speed up traffic but slow it down. Useless rule
Damn straight. Stupid. Pedestrians yield to cars in a round about, but despite the existing signage on this, it has been disregarded. Now it’s being reversed, slowing everything down. More social engineering to discourage the use of a car.
I totally agree. A roundabout it supposed to keep the flow of traffic going. What’s the point of having one if you still have to stop for pedestrians? You may as well have left the stop signs and saved the city some $$.
Are you sure about the “you must wait for pedestrians to completely cross both halves of the road before proceeding” statement? That’s contrary to the way the HTA reads
It’s a new law passed last year to amend the HTA
Completely defeats the purpose of a roundabout. This will cause accidents inside the roundabout where there is supposed to be no stopping. This goes against all international driving practices in roundabouts. I am so disappointed in this new law.
Once again, a great traffic system to control the flow of traffic gets completely negated by a silly new law. This will result in massive backups of traffic as we not only wait for the one half of the crossing but the full crossing.
This going to be a stupid rule
We shouldn’t have roundabouts then
Stupidest thing ever! there shouldn’t even be a cross walk in the circle, it should be before the on and off ramps. There are going to be so many accidents, you can’t have people stopping within a roundabout!!!
I will be avoiding Jockvale and the roundabouts as much as possible, now. Nobody seems to actually know how to use them properly, and I am not risking 3 demerit points over it.
Once again the wicked witch Wynne has managed to waste millions all over the province. Spend a fortune building round-abouts then change the rules to clog up the traffic. Coming around the circle and a pedestrian steps out, you slam on the brakes and Voila! Accidents. How is this a good thing for anyone. It puts pedestrians in harms way, clogs up the traffic – AGAIN, and to avoid it, pushes all the traffic onto alternate routes like side streets through the neighbourhood. Brilliant. I will be calling Jan Harders office Monday morning. Absolute rubbish. The corner of Maravista and strandherd was rebuilt three times in 4 years. Will we see the same with all the round abouts? Change them back to 4 way stops or spend even more installing Traffic lights! Leave things the way they were????
So is this for all roundabouts, or just Barrhaven?
As in, is this just a community based iinitiative for Barrhaven, or the new norm for all?
By the sounds of it, this is the new norm for the whole City of Ottawa. 🙁
all of ontario
Maybe a traffic light would have been a better idea! This will definitely slow traffic down.
I disagree with this new rule as it defeats the purpose of a roundabout. It will clog up the circle and creates the potential for accidents…..bad idea.
So I understand; If a pedestrian is crossing at the crosswalk where a vehicle is exiting the roundabout, that vehicle has to stop??? If this is correct then avoid the roundabouts, because the risk of collision has just increased exponentially.
or go around for another loop allowing the pedestrian time to cross…. which will still back up the roundabout and impede traffic. Just when Kanata is getting more roundabouts and traffic was improving.
One big problem with roundabouts is that people have given up using their turn signals. Signals would still not be needed if veering around to continue straight, but people if you are turning left or right a signal should be used!!! Perhaps that is part of the reason that pedestrians are having difficulty with them? I also agree that the pedestrian crossings should not be located at the point where vehicles are exiting the circle.
This is not going to help traffic flow one bit! Put back the stop signs or install traffic lights!!!
I agree. Another dumb decision by those who do not test it. When one is in the roundabout they can not see the other exits and therefore would not know if someone is in the crosswalk. Just asking for accidents. I thought the roundabouts were installed to keep the flow of traffic moving. Sure hope city officials will be watching. Maybe visit one of these roundabouts between 3 and 5 in the afternoon?????
The roundabouts on Berrigan and Longfields are in the area of four schools which is possibly what has prompted this -belated- concern regarding kids not being able to cross the street on the way to school. Obviously, the roundabouts should not have been put there in the first place, as you are never supposed to stop in one as you may cause an accident. Just another example of poor city planning in Ottawa.
I noticed they reduced Jockvale to 50 km/h (not that anyone drives under 65). I thought maybe because of the new law but then yesterday they put it back up to 60 km/h (????????????????????????)
Round-abouts in Barrhaven highly dangerous, speed coming to a round-about too fast and people cut one another off. Grass, trees and signs do not belong in this area. Clear vision is a must. A sign saying “Stonehaven” totally unnecessary and blocks view.