Last week I was in Canberra and (while wandering the streets) I came across these 3 pedestrian crossings in close proximity. It reminded me of some guidance tucked away in Appendix D of Transport for NSW’s Pedestrian Crossing Guideline (see snip in photos).
Creating great spaces for pedestrians is so important, and giving them priority across roads and streets in these areas improves safety, accessibility, placemaking and the overall quality of the public realm. But as you add crossing after crossing after crossing, it’s worth asking two questions:
- Do cars even need to be allowed here?
- Could this whole area become a Shared Zone (where pedestrians have priority throughout)?
I’m not aware of any other Australian jurisdiction that provides guidance on the spacing of pedestrian crossings in quite the same way NSW does, but I think they’ve got the balance about right. In this Canberra case, I think it would make an excellent Shared Zone (with the support of some civil works so it no longer looks or feels like a conventional road).
Either way, kudos to those involved for putting pedestrians first and for raising the crossings.
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