This project will implement signal upgrades at intersections near Mission schools and parks to improve safety for vulnerable road users. This will be achieved by implementing leading pedestrian intervals and longer pedestrian crossing durations at signalized intersections along the Cedar Street and 7th Avenue corridors.

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This project will provide intersection signal timing plan updates at up to five intersections near schools and parks in Mission to improve safety for vulnerable road users. The signal timing plan updates will include leading pedestrian intervals (LPIs) and longer pedestrian crossing durations where required.

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LPIs provide pedestrians the opportunity to have a head start on entering the crosswalk three to seven seconds before vehicles are given a green light. This allows pedestrians to better establish their presence in the intersection and gives them clearer priority over vehicles turning left or right. LPIs have been shown to provide the following safety benefits:

• Increased driver visibility of pedestrians crossing on the crosswalks.
• Increased likelihood of yielding behaviour from motorists.
• Reduced conflicts between pedestrians and vehicles. Studies have shown that LPIs have led to as much as 60% reduced pedestrian-vehicle collisions at treated intersections.

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This project aims to improve safety for a number of under-resourced populations within the community, including elementary and secondary school students, seniors, and children. The candidate intersections were selected for LPI treatment partly due to the number of vulnerable road users in the immediate area generated from public-serving facilities (especially schools). Additionally, by providing longer crosswalk crossing durations at these intersections as part of the project (where warranted based on walking speeds and crossing distances), the City is committed to ensuring the vast majority of the community population can safely and adequately cross the intersection, especially seniors and young children who have slower walking speeds.

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LPIs were first introduced in Mission at the intersection of 11th Avenue and Stave Lake Street in January 2025 with funding from Vision Zero, ICBC, and the City of Mission. This year’s Vision Zero grant funding will allow the City to expand LPIs at other intersections to better prioritize vulnerable road users.

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