Unsafe crosswalk by Children's Museum sparks calls for change

A London mom is calling on the city to improve safety at a pedestrian crosswalk near the Children's Museum that's surrounded by heavy traffic, construction and drivers who don't follow the rules because she fears someone could get seriously hurt.

Melissa Palmer frequently takes her sons to the new museum in Old East Village and says she's had a few close calls at the intersection of Dundas Street and Kellogg Lane, with vehicles plowing through and ignoring flashing lights that tell them to stop for pedestrians. 

"Every single time I've tried to use these crosswalks, I've had at least one vehicle go through the crosswalk while the lights are active," said Palmer.

"My primary concern is that as both foot traffic and vehicle traffic increases in this area, there is a risk to the public, especially with so many young children not being able to safely cross the road."

The crosswalk is adjacent to an extra parking lot for museum visitors and has a button that activates flashing lights on both sides, with clearly marked signs directing vehicles to stop for crossing pedestrians. But the narrow road curves and is down to one lane on each side filled with construction pylons for the East London Bus Rapid Transit project.   

Palmer wants the city to add a traffic light to the walkway to ensure vehicles actually stop. Crossing the road in its current state is dangerous, especially for families with young kids and strollers, she said.

"There needs to be some sort of light that's in the view of the drivers more easily," she said. "Currently, the lights are only on the sides of the street and they're quite difficult to see, especially if the sun is at an eye level where it makes it difficult to view the sides of the road." 

In January, the museum opened at its new location at 100 Kellogg Lane. It's part of a massive entertainment complex that houses merchants, an indoor play park and eateries, and will be home to a new Hard Rock Hotel starting in May. 

City says it's working to improve crosswalk

Emmet Fishersteed works near the museum and uses the crosswalk daily. Fishersteed said she's had a few encounters where vehicles didn't stop for her as she tried to cross.

"The sign there that says 'Stop for pedestrians' is pretty in your face, but the lights during the day aren't super visible," she said. "Sometimes I'll make eye contact with a driver telling them the lights are going and then they realize they have to stop, so I feel it's not super obvious."  

Palmer addressed her concerns in a letter to Mayor Josh Morgan and London police, asking them to drive around the area on a busy weekend and witness firsthand the safety issues at the crosswalk. In response, the city said it's aware of the concern and is working on ways to provide tips to drivers on how to travel safely in the area, including email and social media blasts.

In a statement to CBC News, Jennie Dann, the city's head of construction and infrastructure, said construction for the crosswalk is expected to wrap up by the summer and the city is working closely with the contractor to improve the road for pedestrians.  

"This is a constrained area with significant work to be completed. Several measures have already been taken to address this including line painting, and placing advance warning signage on both sides of Dundas Street to alert drivers of the pedestrian crosswalk at Kellogg Lane," she said. 

Signs are also posted around the construction zone to help pedestrians navigate safely, said Dann, adding that safety measures are adjusted as needed.

Palmer said she anticipates more visitors to the area during the summer and wants the city to address these issues to ensure a safe experience for everyone. 

"We know there's going to be even more people coming and if there's serious safety concerns, it's just a matter of time until someone gets hurt."