Skip to main content

Melbourne trials light-changing footpaths

The city of Melbourne, Australia, is trialling new technology in a bid to improve pedestrian safety at intersections. Lights have been installed in footpaths along the edge of the road at the intersection of Little Collins Street and Swanston Street. They change colour between red and green in time with the pedestrian crossing signals. The lights will be switched on around the clock, helping people walking at night or looking down at their phones know where the footpath ends. The intersection was cho
March 27, 2017 Read time: 1 min
The city of Melbourne, Australia, is trialling new technology in a bid to improve pedestrian safety at intersections.

Lights have been installed in footpaths along the edge of the road at the intersection of Little Collins Street and Swanston Street. They change colour between red and green in time with the pedestrian crossing signals. The lights will be switched on around the clock, helping people walking at night or looking down at their phones know where the footpath ends.

The intersection was chosen for the trial due to a large number of people who cross roads at the intersection and disobey pedestrian crossing signals.

At the end of the twelve month trial, Victoria’s road safety agencies will assess the footpath infrastructure’s suitability for roll out at other intersections across Melbourne.

Related Content

  • US study finds cameras reduce red light running
    January 28, 2013
    The latest research by the US Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) found that red light running rates declined at Arlington, Virginia, intersections equipped with cameras. The decreases were particularly large for the most dangerous violations, those happening 1.5 seconds or longer after the light turned red. "This study provides fresh evidence that automated enforcement can get drivers to modify their behaviour," says Anne McCartt, senior vice president for research at IIHS and the study's lead au
  • Congestion charge: Big Changes in the Big Apple
    July 11, 2023
    New York City is falling in line with other major global cities in charging drivers for using its streets, writes Adam Hill: the Central Business District Tolling Program is on its way. Probably
  • Traffic management turns to machine vision
    June 1, 2016
    Traffic engineers can use the latest advances in vision technology to streamline and enhance traffic management. The idea of using one camera to perform all functions at an intersection is attractive to authorities for many reasons and camera supplier Gridsmart says it can make this happen. Its Bell Camera offers a horizon to horizon view that includes the centre of the intersection where vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians cross paths and it can be used for traffic light actuation, traffic data collection a
  • Syracuse models post-industrial revival for US cities
    August 13, 2015
    A connective corridor in Syracuse, New York State, could be a model for other post-industrial cities, as David Crawford discovers. The aim of the city of Syracuse’ 5.6km-long Connective Corridor in Onandaga County in upstate New York is to create a model ‘complete street’ for use in wider regeneration schemes. Key transport-sector components are traffic calming, high-quality transit with accessible passenger information, plus walkability and bike-friendliness.