WATERLOO REGION — Pedestrian crossovers will be installed at each of the 23 regional roundabouts later this summer following changes to the Highway Traffic Act.

The crossovers will be installed at each entrance and exit of the roundabouts and will be marked with paint and signage. Any driver who doesn't observe the rules and stop for pedestrians could be ticketed by police.

Region of Waterloo councillors voted in favour of moving ahead with the installations Tuesday.

"We're certainly going to enhance the pedestrian mobility across the region," said Bob Henderson, manager of transportation engineering. "We're quite excited about this."

Municipalities had been lobbying the province for this change to the Highway Traffic Act as an alternative to traffic signals and other crossings. Changes went into effect earlier this year.

Staff chose to implement the crossovers at roundabouts first because they say drivers are already used to yielding to pedestrians there. The crossings are expected to be installed in July and August.

About $250,000 is expected to be spent on installation of the crossovers and public education.

In 2017, crossovers will be installed midblock on various roads across the region based on a priority list to be compiled by regional staff in coming months.

Coun. Geoff Lorentz questioned how staff will keep track of the success of the new crossovers.

"How do you monitor this without the obvious, that someone's got hit," he said.

Henderson said staff will complete compliance studies, including recordings of the roundabouts.

"Unfortunately, collisions are always the evidence we use to determine the success of the device," he said.

Regional staff is planning an outreach program to let the public know the changes are coming. Cities are responsible for where and when they install the crossovers.

Municipalities have discretion whether to use the crossovers, but only certain roads are eligible.

Roads must have a speed limit of 60 km/h or less, be low volume with a cross section of up to fours lanes or at roundabouts.

At roundabouts where the approach speed is currently posted at more than 60 km/h — the Arthur Street roundabout in Elmira, for example — the posted speed limit will be decreased to meet the 60 km/h guideline.

Regional officials do not plan to install flashing beacons, which are typical of crossovers, at this time. The beacons and overhead signage may be installed at a later date.

Coun. Sean Strickland questioned the decisions not to install beacons or infrastructure so pedestrians can activate the beacon to cross.

"I was hoping that the beacon would be part of our plan for the roundabouts and also that it would be pedestrian-activated," he said.

Henderson said staff was concerned about consistency if the beacons were only installed at certain roundabouts and not others.

Coun. Karen Redman questioned how the region will deal with requests from the public for midblock crossovers next year.

"We have to have some reason to interface with neighbourhoods when they decide that they need to have this," she said.

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Staff anticipates there will be requests from the public for the midblock crossings and have pledged to review each request. Decisions will be based on the priority list staff will develop for implementation.

The priority list for midblock crossings will consider several criteria in the updated Ontario Traffic Manual Book 15. The criteria include:

•Whether 100 or more pedestrians have been observed crossing during an eight-hour period

•There's no controlled crossing within 200 metres

•The posted speed limit is 60 km/h or less

Driver have these responsibilities at crossovers:

•Expect pedestrians and slow down on approach

•Do not pass other vehicles within 30 metres of a crossover

•Stop for pedestrians and remain stopped until they cross

Pedestrian have these responsibilities:

•Make eye contact with drivers

•Ensure they're stopping before crossing

•Watch drivers while crossing

•Pedestrians should not enter a crossover if a vehicle is so close that it would be impractical for a driver to stop