Ottawa cyclist calling for the end of sensors at traffic lights

By Jeff Slack

A cyclist is raising concern about technology used to trigger sensors that change traffic lights after he had a close call with on coming traffic.

This technology is called 'revert reds,' and it's used mainly on streets that intersect with busy roadways to help keep the flow of traffic moving an intersection.

When a bike or vehicle sits over the sensor at a main road, only then does it triggers a countdown for the light to turn green, however if the vehicle is past the sensor mark it can quickly switch the signal from green back to red.

Cyclist Jordan Moffatt was on the Sir John A Macdonald Parkway by the Innovation Yards when the sensor changed on him.

“I came up to the intersection on a red light and I stayed on the yellow dots to get my signal so it would turn green for me,” Moffatt said. “I saw the pedestrian counter ticking down and then I saw the opposite lights go to yellow then red. I moved forward anticipating the light, to gain momentum, the opposite lights switched back to green.”

Moffatt said he's was lucky because this incident happened at night with little traffic.

Councillor for Somerset ward Catherine McKenney has also expressed concern about the revert reds and how sensitive the triggers are.

“If it's not done with perfect timing, they will revert back to red and [cyclists] will find themselves out on a street like Bronson [Avenue] with traffic coming towards them.”

McKenney has put forward a motion to council called 'Vision Zero' which, if passed, would eliminate revert reds across the city to help improve safe infrastructure for cyclists. 

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