This article was reprinted with permission from the author, Prue Oswin.
Numerous mothers have confessed to me they don’t let their children walk or ride to school, in a guilty way. It’s often followed by ‘there’s just this one crossing’. I ask them about it and usually agree with their judgement. It’s high risk, it needs treating. I validate their concerns and advise they can write to the government and ask to have it improved. I then go back to my job trying to ensure we have the budgets, capacity and technical guidance needed to mend these types of gaps in our networks.
For decades we have systematically been adding turn lanes and intersection treatments to mitigate delay and risk to vehicle occupants from busier roads. Each time a new development is added, we consider these issues. But, we have not had the same systematic approach to providing crossings as the roads get busier.
The consequences of our lack of action aren’t always easy to recognise. But they’re evident in very low walking and cycling rates for getting kids to school, increasing pedestrian deaths, car dependency that has been imposed not chosen and even in mother’s guilt!
The deficiencies are now so great, that we need to proactively retrofit crossings, as many areas are now doing. But, we also need to make sure the systematic processes are updated to do their bit. We touch on this in the ‘where’ module of the Safe Systems Solutions Raised Crossing course.
Prue Oswin
Prue Oswin is Director/Senior Active Transport Engineer at Sidelines Traffic and a former Queensland Walks Board Member. Prue specialises in active transport infrastructure planning and design and has been a Certified Practicing Engineer since 2017.
Thank you to our content specialist advisors, like Prue Oswin, who provide technical and evidence based advice to help form our advocacy position.
