A gathering of interested strollers was schooled on the dangers of walking in Montreal as part of the sixth annual local Jane’s Walk Saturday afternoon.
The plea for increased pedestrian safety came a day after a pair of pedestrians was killed by a car on Sherbrooke East while waiting for a bus.
And such dangers are a constant in the life of a Montreal pedestrian, those involved agreed.
“It's very dangerous for pedestrians to cross some of the intersections in Montreal. Sometimes the lights are so short you don't have the time to cross,” complained Julie Rocheleau of the Montreal Urban Ecology Centre.
They also note that parking should not be permitted within five metres of an intersection according to written rules, although it’s a bylaw rarely enforced.
Wider sidewalks and tricky intersections were also targeted as problems to be resolved.
About 100 such Jane's Walks, named after fabled Toronto urban planner Jane Jacobs, were held throughout Montreal Saturday..
One resident expressed optimism that walking will become increasingly safer, as certain boroughs plan to inject cash into making the upgrades.
“The borough is open to some of our ideas. We know that Jarry street is going to change and we hope that it's for the better,” said Park Extension resident Sasha Dyck.
About 10 pedestrians are hit by cars in Quebec daily.
