This project will add a new raised crosswalk on Estevan Street in Nanaimo. This location is adjacent to École Océane and is part of a larger corridor improvement project.

The goals of this project are to improve road safety for vulnerable road users and encourage active school travel and aligns with City of Nanaimo goals and policies, including:

• “Partner with other organizations like the School District and the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia to identify safe routes to school for walking, rolling, and cycling and encourage these options”
• “Prioritize pedestrian facility improvements based on safety, demand, equity, and other factors”
• “Prioritize safety improvements based on Walk Score, traffic speed, collisions, proximity to schools, traffic volume, land use, proximity to transit, and socio-economic factors”
• “Adopt a Vision Zero approach to safe mobility”

The raised crosswalk is located on Estevan Road, and forms part of the “Estevan Road and Princess Royal Avenue Street Improvement Project”. This is a long-term Engineering project that will include several improvements to better accommodate active transportation users within the corridor.

The raised crosswalk project is within a school zone with documented speeding problems. It is also on a “secondary active mobility route” identified in Nanaimo’s Official Community Plan (OCP). Secondary active mobility routes are intended to serve people of all ages and abilities to the greatest extent possible, and to provide active transportation routes to destinations including schools. The OCP also includes policy direction to prioritize road safety improvements based in part on proximity to schools. Traffic safety improvements in school zones are generally considered high impact, as these areas see high volumes of vulnerable road users (children) twice daily on school days.

Traffic data collected at this location in 2021 shows that driver speeds on Estevan Street are above acceptable levels, and vehicle volumes are high. During pick up and drop off times, the 85th percentile of both eastbound and westbound traffic speeds range from 45 to 47 kilometres per hour, while daily volumes are close to 4000 vehicles. Outside of pick up and drop off times, 85th percentile speeds increase to 55km/h. Speeds and volumes of this magnitude increase the likelihood of a collision with a vulnerable road user, and the risk of serious injury or fatality in the event of a collision.

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Why a raised crosswalk?

The British Columbia Active Transportation Design Guidelines is a key reference document for the City of Nanaimo when designing new active transportation facilities. These guidelines recommend raised crosswalks in school zones, given this intervention’s ability to increase pedestrian visibility, slow down drivers, and improve accessibility for people who use mobility devices.