City to overhaul pedestrian crosswalks: Old Aylmer’s coming this fall

Sometime in the fall, the city of Gatineau plans to install a pedestrian crosswalk with modernized infrastructure at the intersection of rue Neil O’Donnell and rue Principale, in front of the Marché Laflamme. Gatineau spokesperson Élise Robillard told the Aylmer Bulletin in an email that the city approved the decision in response to public demand for a pedestrian crosswalk in that location, considering its high level of foot traffic. She added that new provincial government standards mandate that such infrastructures must include rectangular fast-flashing lights to ensure people’s safety.

The city also plans on widening rue Principale’s south sidewalk to ensure utmost visibility of pedestrians crossing the street, while reducing the length of the walk. Noting that the improvement was long awaited, Aylmer district councillor Audrey Bureau said it responds to an important need for residents. “It’s excellent news,” Bureau said. She added that crosswalks on boulevard Wilfrid-Lavigne between the Aylmer Galeries and the CLSC will also be improved sometime this year. Stating that the current state of Wilfrid-Lavigne’s crosswalks is dangerous, Bureau said she’s happy knowing the city is addressing the issue. “I’m relieved that we’re finally going to secure these crosswalks,” Bureau said, noting that a lot of people in the area are of reduced mobility. “It really responds to a need.” 

Also believing boulevard Wilfrid-Lavigne needs to be addressed, Lucerne district councillor Gilles Chagnon said that providing crosswalk improvements in front of L’école Vieux-Verger and L’Initial is significantly important. “We get a lot of complaints,” Chagnon said. “So, we need to deal with this issue.” Over the next few years, the same type of infrastructure will be installed in a number of other locations in the city, which should be announced later this year, Robillard said.

Noting that the city is still working on designing the crosswalk with the improved infrastructure, Robillard couldn’t determine the cost of the initiative.