Dunedin is about to get two more 'Barnes Dance' pedestrian crossings.
Barnes Dance crossings allow pedestrians to cross the road in all directions at once, including diagonally across intersections. A flashing counter allows people to see how many seconds they have left to cross so they can avoid taking chances and keep safe.
The change to Barnes Dance intersections by the Transport Agency is part of the central Dunedin one-way cycleway project, driven by a desire to increase the safety of pedestrians and cyclists on these busy roads, following the death of a cyclist in 2011 and another just a year later.
Dunedin City Council(external link) has installed eight Barnes Dance crossings in the past 18 months.
The Transport Agency’s Fulton Hogan team has begun the kerb work needed for a Barnes Dance crossing at Cumberland Street/ Albany Street intersection in recent days.
“A second Barnes Dance will be installed in coming days at the Great King Street /Albany Street intersection, signalling the completion of the Transport Agency’s SH1 Dunedin cycleway. All the work on both intersections should be completed in about three weeks,” says Transport Agency Senior Project Manager Simon Underwood.
Special features
At Great King Street/Albany Street, a display of an image of a bicycle will show cyclists emerging from Great King Street (the Captain Cook corner) that they can also use the Barnes Dance to cross diagonally to the northbound cycle lane to continue along Great King Street. Many university students use this intersection daily.
“At Cumberland Street/Albany Street, another busy pedestrian intersection, the change will provide better access for cyclists travelling south on the cycleway, as the south-bound lane switches from the left-hand side of the highway to the right. Currently, cyclists heading south have to cross at the pedestrian signals between the Link building and the Museum Reserve,” says Mr Underwood.
“We encourage everyone to be considerate at these crossing points and for cyclists to slow down, bearing in mind that pedestrians have the right of way at all pedestrian crossing points. Cyclists will still need to take care when crossing diagonally and we encourage everyone to be courteous and make the most of the new cycle lanes and safer crossing points.”
Kerb work underway this week at Cumberland Street/ Albany Street intersection
The nearby Captain Cook intersection, also to become a Barnes Dance crossing
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