A Danish Offset (also called a Z-Crossing) is the use of an offset in the middle of a multi-lane crossing that uses pedestrian fencing to steer and shield pedestrians onto a central median. As pedestrians walk (or cycle) through the fenced area, they are forced to look in the direction of oncoming traffic to complete the second stage of their crossing. It also provides a median refuge for pedestrians who have not found an acceptable gap in traffic. Our work for Transport for NSW shows these crossings can reduce casualty crashes by 35%. When designing Danish Offset crossings, ensure that they are configured so that the pedestrians in the median walk towards oncoming vehicles.
