SAFETY ZONES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20107, 29 November 1939, Page 10

SAFETY ZONES

PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS DESIGN AND POSITION REGULATIONS GAZETTED New pedestrian crossing and safety zone regulations,- which have been gazetted, will come into force on December 21. In the design of pedestrian crossings, provision is made for the omission of the diagonal line, where the top of the crossing is coloured to contrast with the road surface and with the boundary line of the crossing. On one-way streets the design is slightly modified by the omission of the centre line and by no change being made in the construction of the diagonal line.

Provision is made in certain circumstances for the interruption of pedestrian crossings by safety-zones. As far as practicable, crossings shall be either at right-angles to the roadway or constructed so as to ■provide the shortest available route. A crossing at an intersection shall be set back at least 2ft. from the corner of the footpath. Markings and Lights Crossings shall be so, marked and maintained and so lighted at night as to be visible from at least 100 ft. along the street. Poles coloured in in black and white in alternate bands and erected at the curb shall -be used to indicate the presence of a crossing. Existing structures which are suitable may be utilised for this purpose. Parking within 20ft. on the approach side of a is made an offence. Tne regulations relating to safetyzones, provide that zones of a minimum width of 4ft. may be constructed where a roadway is not less than 44ft. wide, provided that at least 20ft of clear roadway is lef l visible. Safety-zones shall be at least sft. long or where used in conjunction with pedestrian crossings at least the full width of the crossing.

Existing Zones Allowed Safety-zones, where provided in conjunction with crossings, may* be marked either by boundary lines of the same description as in crossings, or where not constructed in conjunction with crossings fby Raising the level of the safety-zone and providing a curbing. Every safety-zone shall be so illuminated at night as to be clearly visible from at least 100 ft. In addition. there shall be at each end ol a zone, a standard, • bollard or protective wall illuminated at night or provided with suitable reflectors so as to be visible with dipped headlights from at least 300 ft. Existing safety-zones, of the permanent type, are deemed to be approved in' type until disallowed by the Minister.