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On cantonal roads, a 2019 census concluded that almost 20% of crossings were not compliant in terms of visibility.
Seeing if a pedestrian is waiting to cross is not always easy. Yet it is a normative requirement.
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Pedestrian crossings are not always havens of safety for their users, far from it. In Geneva, a 2019 census notes that 19% of cantonal road crossings “do not fully comply with the standard on the aspect of visibility distance”. In its response to a written question from the Socialist MP Caroline Marti, the government specifies that only 58% of the passages “respect the standard in all respects”. The remaining 23% “are compliant”, but concern temporary facilities or “presenting a signaling defect” (read box).
“It’s very problematic, reacts Caroline Marti. We must not wait for an accident to secure and take measures quickly. In Geneva, in 2021, there were 82 accidents involving pedestrians, of which at least 54 occurred on a zebra crossing. Forty-seven resulted in serious bodily injury. “Pedestrians are very vulnerable because they have no protection,” said Alexandre Brahier, spokesman for the cantonal police. In the event of an accident, even at a speed of 20-30 km/h, the damage can be significant.
Upgrading started
Since the census, the Canton has “undertaken to bring the aforementioned passages up to standard”, he indicated in his response. “In 2019, 132 crossings were not up to standard, points out Alan Rosset, head of the administrative and major projects department of the cantonal civil engineering and transport offices. Currently, around 50 cases have already been settled.” The Canton proceeds in various ways: either it installs lights, or it removes what prevents visibility when possible, or it moves or removes the pedestrian crossing. “It’s not a satisfactory solution,” protests Caroline Marti. “This is only done as a last resort,” reassures Alan Rosset.
The director insists on “the real will of the Canton to respect the standard”. Nevertheless, the authority has only a limited room for manoeuvre. Indeed, on the territory of Geneva, the cantonal roads represent only 14.5% of the total. They identify 29% of pedestrian crossings not regulated by traffic lights, once morest 71% under the responsibility of the municipalities. “It is up to them, as owners, to comply,” explains Alan Rosset.
No figures available in town
Not won in advance. On the side of the City, the Department of planning, constructions and mobility makes it known that it does not have figures, because “no monitoring has ever been carried out”. Nevertheless, the municipality considers that “the vast majority of pedestrian crossings meet the standards”, since “the projects are carried out with an analysis of these issues” and that they are “the subject of a request for authorization to build with cantonal authorities who verify compliance with its standards”. A written question was also submitted to the City Council by the socialist elected Pierre-Yves Bosshard in order to bring the problem to the municipal level.
According to Patrick Lacourt, president of Geneva Pedestrian Mobility, it is indeed up to the municipalities to correct problematic developments, such as “a bus shelter positioned in such a way that it prevents you from seeing the pedestrian crossing”. According to him, these modifications are, depending on the case, relatively expensive. However, he believes that “in general, pedestrian safety is taken into account, but poorly evaluated”.
Before each pedestrian crossing, a yellow line of ten meters, drawn on the roadway, acts as a clearance zone on which no one must park or obstruct visibility on the pedestrian crossing. “This is an obligation listed in the Ordinance on road signs, informs Alan Rosset.” The standard governing the issue of visibility distance is enacted by VSS, the Swiss Association of Road and Transport Professionals. It writes and manages the compendium of Swiss standards in the field of roads and transport. Rules which are not imperative, but which are called upon in the event of an accident. A gray area in short. The VSS standard stipulates that in a 30 km/h zone, the visibility must be 25 m. If the authorized speed is 50 km/h, then a clearance of 55 m is required. Distances that may seem important, but “at 50 km / h, we have four seconds to see a pedestrian and react”, explains Patrick Lacourt.