Drivers, pedestrians getting used to Iqaluit’s new lighted crosswalk
Flashing lights went live Sept. 25, but pedestrian habits appear slow to change
Iqaluit’s first controlled crosswalk went live on Sept. 25 — but that’s not to say all drivers and pedestrians noticed.
The new signalized crosswalk is near the intersection of Niaqungusiariaq (Apex Road) and Queen Elizabeth Way. It goes between the Qikiqtani General Hospital and the old Tammaativvik Boarding Home. The newer Sailijaaqvik Boarding Home is at the southeast corner of the intersection — kitty corner from the crosswalk.
Here’s how it works: A pedestrian presses a button to activate flashing lights on either side of the street. Signs on both sides indicate it is a pedestrian crossing.
Nunatsiaq News watched people using the intersection for an hour on Friday between 12:30 and 1:30 p.m.
More than a dozen pedestrians missed the crosswalk altogether as they crossed Niaqungusiariaq from the southeast corner of Queen Elizabeth Way.
Asked why they didn’t use the crosswalk, the pedestrians said they didn’t know it was there. But they thought it was a good idea.
Some drivers also seemed oblivious to the crosswalk.
When Jason Tulugarjuk and Bernice Kunnuk pressed the button to walk across with their two-year-old daughter Violett Tulugarjuk, they had to wait for an all-terrain vehicle and a car to pass first — despite the flashing lights — before traffic finally stopped for the family.
Sailijaaqvik provides its clients rides across the road to reach the hospital but some choose to walk anyway, said Greg Pittman, director of operations at the boarding home.
“I’m definitely glad the crosswalk is there, for sure,” he said.
Pedestrian Linda Siakuluk, of Sanirajak, agreed the crosswalk is a good idea before pressing the crosswalk button.
“It’s better,” she said.
Donna Apak and Joamie Apak, of Clyde River, also gave thumbs-up to the controlled crosswalk, after traffic stopped to allow them to cross.
According to City of Iqaluit bylaws, drivers who fail to yield right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing within a crosswalk face a $75 fine.
Concerned for the safety of pedestrians, back in February 2023, city council unanimously approved a $212,736 contract for Tower Arctic Ltd. to install the crosswalk.
The crosswalk contract, which did not include annual electrical maintenance, was $49,000 over budget including a $30,000 contingency amount that was set aside for cost overruns.
It was originally expected to be completed by fall 2023.
Very dramatically written, and not true. I drive on both roads maby 6 times a day and never have seen the lights in operation. I have seen many people crossing, from all directions, from and to the hospital. Nobody of the pedestrians I saw used the designated crosswalk.
Just making it a dramatic story doesn’t make it true. However, this could be a starting point to educate pedestrians and motor vehicle drivers how to act properly. Drivers, get of your phone, and pedestrians, just keep walking. Make sure you have been noticed by the driver(s) and that the slow down or stop.
A dozen people missed the crosswalk within a one-hour window on Friday. Yet, because YOU haven’t seen the crosswalk be used in your own day, no on uses it? Come on now
Being an inuk in nunavut but not livig in iqaluit, all I see is, just because it’s our capital (city) it’s trying to become like a city down south. how sad, how sad. The big money they waste should be used on better, more important things like supporting lowering costs of everything. But na, they’re trying to make it a real expensive city.
Don’t be angry that we have a little bit of infrastructure. We still have plenty of stray dogs and trash blowing on the wind … we’re still Nunavut.
Only in Nunavut would implementing basic public safety standards be viewed as gentrification lol
Ya ya nice lights now fix the damb pot holes and not just 2 of them, fix them all!
Those potholes are also safety features. Poor man’s speed bumps.
I’m confused as to why it’s flashing lights rather than a red stop light. Can’t flashing lights indicate a need to slow down, but not necessarily stop? I think more drivers know what to do at a red light vs flashing lights. Regardless, glad there’s more safety measures in place to help protect lives.
what happened to drivers who stopped 50 feet away for pedestrians to cross up ahead.