Councillor Jon Burnside has gone to bat for pedestrians using the peculiar traffic signal system at Bayview Ave. and Manor Rd/Fleming Cres. As described by a post in the South Bayview Bulldog in September the green Walk signals here operate on what is called a semi-actuated mode of control. Translation, you don’t get a green Walk signal to cross Bayview unless you push the so-called “Beg Button” strapped to a utility pole nearby. If pedestrians push the Beg Button, the Walk light will come on and they can cross more or less with confidence. It is complicated, like a lot of modern life, especially when the engineers get finished with their long-form explanations.
Hardly working lights
The Councillor has been trying to get a longer crossing time on Bayview but this was not possible because the entire street is on a system known as SCOOT, which automatically assesses traffic and changes times to suit. But because of Mr. Burnside’s inquiry Transportation Services has requested a change which will permit the green Walk signal in concert with the green light for vehicles (i.e. all the time). The terms used by the “engineering technologist” (yes really) are confusing but the sense of the reply to the Councillor is clear enough to those of us in this office. It is worth noting that the semi-actuated “hardly working” signals are very common and in fact show up at Bayview and Merton St/McRae Drive. No word on them although this tricky intersection with its off-set side streets might benefit from a change too.