Toronto is using a busy downtown street as an experiment in street crossing. Yonge and Dundas now has a traffic light that stops all traffic so pedestrians can cross the street in any direction they need to.
The
city believes the crossing scramble will be safer for those walking in the downtown area. Vehicle traffic will benefit also because there will be no turning restrictions at the intersection.
There are more delays for drivers on Yonge Street because red lights will take longer.
"It's time to give greater priority to pedestrians and a bit less priority to automobiles," said Gary Welsh, general manager of the city's transportation services when the idea was floated earlier this year.
The city plans to add Yonge and Bloor, Bay and Bloor, and Bay and Dundas soon to the crosswalk scramble.
