Deadly Douglasdale crosswalk needs lights, resident says

A Calgary woman says she has long been pushing for a crosswalk light to be installed at the southeast intersection where a pedestrian was fatally struck yesterday.

A man was in the marked crosswalk at Douglasdale Boulevard and Douglas Woods Way S.E. at 6:45 a.m. on Wednesday when he was hit. He was critically injured and later died in hospital.

"I've been calling 311 for a year,” said Jennifer McDougall, who has lived in Douglasdale for 20 years.

"Honestly, I'm so sad about what happened … but it was inevitable, because I've been a pedestrian and a driver on this road and it's just a disaster waiting to happen.”

McDougall said she tells her children to wave their arms over their heads to make sure drivers see them.

City officials told her it would take six months to a year to study the need for a crossing light at the intersection.

Ald. Shane Keating said the city should drop the lengthy process currently needed to get a crossing light set up in a community.

“In high connector roads in pedestrian or residential areas we really have to throw the book out and say, ‘What can we do to make things safe?’”

Keating said farther up Douglasdale Boulevard, the city is testing a low-cost solar powered crossing light.

He said the rapid-flash lights, which cost about a tenth of a standard overhead yellow flashing light, should be installed at all major intersections.