A Wolfe Av & Tecumseh Av/W 16th Av Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) installation helps serve all pedestrians using the crossing, benefitting the vulnerable senior population of the Shaughnessy neighbourhood and the school children of École Bilingue Elementary the most. The RRFB has been turned on as of November 1st, 2024, and includes solar-powered pedestrian-controlled flashers on both sides of the crossing, accessible pedestrian signal push buttons, a repaint of the existing marked zebra crosswalk, and improved LED intersection lighting.
The existing crosswalk at Wolfe Av & Tecumseh Av/W 16th Av helps to connect Shaughnessy Park to the shops and buses on Oak St and school children to L'École Bilingue Elementary. W 16th Av is also a busy arterial street and the skew in the intersection can make it hard to navigate at times. With Vancouver’s increasing population, a crossing upgrade at this location helps meet the City’s goal of increasing its active travel mode share safely and sustainably.
Past community feedback the City has received about this crossing include visibility issues and feelings of uneasiness due to a lack of vehicles yielding at the crosswalk. Some pedestrians have also reported they would rather take a longer detour at an adjacent signal over 300m way, just to avoid using the crossing at Wolfe Av & Tecumseh Av.
The crossing currently serves as one way for school children to commute to L'École Bilingue Elementary. The RRFB at this intersection may encourage other families to choose more active modes of transportation when commuting to and from school.
Upon activating the RRFB, drivers were over 2x more likely to yield to pedestrians while the lights were flashing, as well as stopping further from the crosswalk, helping with the perception of safety while crossing at this location.
Photo source: Pexels. Photo is shown for illustration purposes only and may not be an accurate representation of the project.
