The intersection between Lester St. and University Ave. W. is one of many crossings frequented by students living both in residence and off campus. The installation of the traffic lights was approved in Aug. of 2019, and opened last week on Nov. 19.
Last year, the Waterloo Region identified the Lester and University intersection as one of the top 40 spots for vehicle collisions in the area. Until recently, there were no crosswalk on Lester St. – pedestrians had to walk 200 metres to reach the closest one, or else jaywalk and brave four lanes of oncoming traffic.
After a tragic car collision in January of 2019 that resulted in the death of a UW student, it became clear a crosswalk was much needed.
This crosswalk, while on the surface a small-scale development, represents a further step towards ensuring the safety of pedestrians in Waterloo.
