The pedestrian crossing at the bottom of the Ross Street hill will stay the course.
Red Deer city council debated changing the existing signed and marked crossing to a pedestrian activated signal to curb safety issues on Monday.
But engineering services manager Frank Colosimo said in the last 20 years there have been no pedestrian collisions at the crossing. Colosimo said based on week and weekend traffic counts the existing crosswalk is appropriate and no changes are needed.
He said there may be a need to change the crossing when other neighbourhoods like Timberlands and Clearview North continue to build and the traffic flows increase into the downtown.
“Just given our history, I don’t think we need a set of signals,” said Colosimo.
“However if we do install a set of signals, we’re just raising the attention of the drivers. It’s not a bad thing. It’s just not required based on the items we looked at.”
The five options including a side mounted solar powered pedestrian-activated amber lights ranged from $35,000 to $110,000 in price.
Council voted 5-2 in support of keeping the existing markings at Ross Street and Coronation Park.
Coun. Paul Harris and Mayor Morris Flewwelling were opposed. Coun. Buck Buchanan and Coun. Dianne Wyntjes were absent.
In other council news:
• Coun. Paul Harris wants to reopen the discussion on policing in Red Deer. Harris introduced a motion to review the current policing service delivery model to ensure it is appropriate, cost effective and represents the best service for tax dollars. In 2011 city council voted 7-2 in support of keeping the RCMP after conducting an extensive policing review. Coun. Chris Stephan and Coun. Buck Buchanan were opposed.