Unlike most pedestrian crossings in Ottawa, roundabouts give right of way to vehicles — and the City of Ottawa says it’s powerless to change that.

New signs posted at city roundabouts show the classic black and white pedestrian symbol over a yield triangle and a car.

The city said there’s no legal way it can give pedestrians the right of way at roundabouts under provincial law, besides installing a stop sign or traffic light.

"It can be frustrating but that’s the fine line of how the (Highway Traffic Act) works," said Greg Kent, Ottawa's manager of traffic management.

Kent said an issue is the act doesn't define roundabouts yet, causing his call for the Ministry of Transportation to update the law with new guidelines for crossing devices.

"We’re really hopeful the MTO will see it that way, we really pushed it that way — that this is part of sustainability," Kent said.

"Hopefully we’re going to get that result and we’re going to be able to implement it."

The province said Tuesday it hopes to update the traffic manual book that provides guidance to municipalities on the treatments of uncontrolled pedestrian crossings by early 2015.

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