The City of Vancouver is working to double the number of primary pedestrian intervals (PPIs) it installs each year, with studies showing the design has the potential to reduce collisions.

An LPI intersection gives pedestrians a head start by turning on the walk signal seconds before the light turns green for motorists. This allows pedestrians to prioritize and be more visible to turning drivers, the city said.

Vancouver had 57 LPI intersections as of May and had committed to creating 15 more each year, at $2,000 per installation, according to a motion from the municipal councilor from earlier this year, which called for a further expansion of road development.

This motion passed and the city is now working to double the annual number of LPI intersections it installs.

“We find, through our work with ICBC and reviewing collision reports and investigations, that turning movements create some of the most significant conflicts for pedestrians, when vehicles attempt to turn at right angles. “intersection and there’s a pedestrian in the crosswalk,” said Winston Chou, associate director of the City of Vancouver’s traffic and data management branch.

Chou said the city has seen fewer collisions with pedestrians since the widespread installation of LPI intersections starting in 2018, and that pedestrians have also responded positively to the technology.

Winston Chou, associate director of traffic and data management at the City of Vancouver, is seen here in 2019. He says the city is focusing on high-priority intersections by installing more LPI intersections. (Daniel Beauparlant/CBC)

A paper co-authored by UBC researchers in 2022, it looked at a series of studies and found the technology could reduce collisions by up to 60%.

Chou noted that the intersections are also present in other cities in Metro Vancouver. The City of Surrey says on his website that it leads the province with over 70 LPI intersections in place there.

“It takes a little bit of time to get out there and go across town to implement all of this, but it’s a relatively inexpensive installation and we’re seeing really positive benefits from it,” Chou said.

He added that the City of Vancouver will install the technology at intersections where ICBC has reported a higher volume of pedestrian collisions, with the provincial insurer reporting around 500 accidents involving pedestrians in the city last year.

The official also asked pedestrians and drivers to be careful as the clocks go back one hour and the province will return to standard time next weekend.

“This means there will be less daylight, especially in the afternoon when people go home,” Chou said. “So we really want to remind people to be safe and take extra time when they go home.”