With rapidway construction progressing along Highway 7 West and on Davis Drive, the way the intersections work is changing – especially if you’re turning left or want to make a U-turn. Here’s a primer on how to use the intersections with the new configuration:
Dedicated lefts and U-turns: These intersections will now have a dedicated left-turn traffic signal. This means that drivers can make left turns or U-turns only during the left-turn signal.
To reach driveways mid-block: To get to entrances that are between intersections, on the opposite side of the road, drivers should make a U-turn at the next signalled intersection.
Why? Once the rapidway is in, drivers can’t cross it in the middle of a block. Making a left at an intersection is safer than cutting across multiple lanes of traffic, and ensures that drivers trying to turn left get their turn, and don’t have to rush through a yellow.
Right turns: Curb-side lanes will be shared by right-turning and straight-through traffic.
Pedestrians: Now that intersections are wider with new signals, pedestrians may need to cross Davis Drive or Highway 7 in two stages.
- Be sure to press the “walk” button, or the signal will be timed for cars only.
- Only cross while “walk” is displayed.
- As you cross, a countdown signal will show how many seconds you have left to safely cross the street.
Watch the video, which shows how traffic works in the new configuration.
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