“No Parking” signs on Calgary Street discourage parking

Residents on one of the streets in the North Haven community are concerned about the recently installed “no stopping” signs near the crosswalk.

Ken Little has lived in the same house on North Haven Drive since 1967.

In that time, he said, he hasn't seen a single incident at the crosswalk near his property, so he was surprised when he received a letter from the city last year saying there were safety issues with the crosswalk.

He was even more surprised by the city's decision. In January, they installed 25-meter no-stop signs on both sides of the pedestrian crossing.

“I think we should have had a say in what they were doing. Whether he likes it or not,” Little said. “I don't like it a bit. I can't even stand on my front street.”

Ken and his two neighbors can no longer park on the street, nor can they legally park in front of their homes.

“This is not a parking lot. It's not going to stop, so it's going to make it worse,” said Jeff Stone, Little's neighbor. “You can't theoretically stop for a second. I don't think you can even stop throwing away your groceries. I don't think the UPS guys and Canada Post can stop.”

Looking up and down North Haven Drive in any direction, no similar no-stop zones can be found at any other crosswalk, not even in front of a nearby elementary school.

In a statement to CTV News, a spokeswoman for the city's transportation department said the city installed traffic calming measures at the crosswalk as part of its “ongoing commitment to ensure safe pedestrian crossings.”

“According to the results of the safety audit, it was found that the line of sight of the pedestrian crossing does not meet the requirements,” the report said.

The statement said the city follows national guidelines when installing signs.

“According to the Canadian Association of Transportation Guidelines for Crosswalk Controls, which guide current safety standards for crosswalks, crosswalks must provide sufficient sight distance for both drivers and pedestrians. “Drivers should notice pedestrians on the edge of the crossing, determine their intention to cross, decide the necessary action and respond by braking to a convenient stop,” the report said.

“Due to the curvature of this stretch of road, the stopping limits are generally longer than what would be seen on a straight stretch of road.”

No wonder why the crosswalk in front of his house is dangerous in the eyes of the city's mobility department.

“If they can't show me a study that shows a safety issue, there's no safety issue until they can prove it to me. So I think at this point those signs should come down.”

Stone was concerned that the newly constructed no-stop zones would negatively affect the resale value of her home.

“People don't want to buy a house if they can't park in front of it. Let's say they have two children with cars. where do you live You have to go half a block down,” Stone said.

“If you buy (a) house half a block down with parking for two, three cars. Which house do you want to buy? So I think the resale value will go down.”

In a letter sent to homeowners ahead of the parking changes, the city's mobility department said signs and markings were assigned to crosswalks in accordance with Transportation Association of Canada (TAC) guidelines.

“To ensure that pedestrians using the crosswalk are visible to motorists, the TAC requires 'No Parking' signs where there would normally be parking. We have determined that these restrictions should be implemented at this crosswalk to address safety concerns.

“While this may affect the parking lot in front of your home, we hope you understand the importance of providing safe pedestrian crossings in your neighborhood.”

Stone says he understands the need for safety, but can't see how the change would improve the intersection.

He reached out to the city through its 311 center and his regional councilman, Shawn Chu of the Fourth Ward, but did not receive a response.

“Nobody's looking at it, which I'm upset about. No one wants to talk about it. There is no connection.”