Dear Daryl,

Following our discussion at the Kirkendall meeting on Thursday night, I found the section of the Highway Traffic Act and associated signage regulations governing pedestrian crossovers in Ontario.  As you will see below, drivers MUST yield to pedestrians in a crossover, and the crossover may be at an intersection or elsewhere.

The regulations indicate the road markings and signage for a crossover.  This regulation does not appear to be followed in Hamilton.

As vice President of the Durand Neighbourhood Association, the DNA would like to have your help in working with the Traffic Department to develop safe and economical pedestrian crossovers for the City.

The Durand neighbourhood could act as a pilot project for the new crossovers, and this project could be interpreted as part of the 5-year review following the changes made due to the Durand Traffic study.

I'm sure that other neighbourhoods will also be very interested in the provision of safe pedestrian crossovers.

Best wishes,

Nicholas
p.s. I was in Port Dover and Port Rowan this weekend.  Both towns have pedestrian crossings in mid-block, indicated by painted lines and fluorescent yellow pedestrian X-ing signs.  They also have an additional sign directed at pedestrians: "Cross with caution".

The HTA defines a pedestrian crossover as follows:
"pedestrian crossover" means any portion of a roadway, designated by by-law of a municipality, at an intersection or elsewhere, distinctly indicated for pedestrian crossing by signs on the highway and lines or other markings on the surface of the roadway as prescribed by the regulations; ("passage pour piétons")

http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_90h08_e.htm#BK207

Pedestrian crossover, duties of driver

140.  (1)  Subject to subsection (2), when a pedestrian or a person in a wheelchair crossing a roadway within a pedestrian crossover,

(a) is upon the half of the roadway upon which a vehicle or street car is travelling; or

(b) is upon half of the roadway and is approaching the other half of the roadway on which a vehicle or street car is approaching so closely to the pedestrian crossover as to endanger him or her,

the driver of the vehicle or street car shall yield the right of way to the pedestrian or a person in a wheelchair by slowing down or stopping if necessary. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 140 (1).

The signage for a pedestrian crossover is defined by the following provincial regulation:

http://www.search.e-laws.gov.on.ca/en/isysquery/161c82be-2533-4e6c-b873-66d824023d1f/2/frame/?search=browseStatutes&context=