Use crosswalks, pay attention to traffic, police warn

Sudbury police say more and more people are putting their lives at risk by trying to dodge traffic and as construction in the city ramps up, so does the risk to pedestrians.

In 2011 and 2012, more than 155 people were struck down by vehicles in the city. Three of those pedestrians were killed.

Currently heavy traffic along Lasalle Boulevard and Notre Dame Avenue is being funneled through a maze of large orange and black striped barrels as construction crews work on the road.

In the process, at least one sidewalk is always blocked off to pedestrians.

The health and safety co-ordinator with Terranorth Construction, the company redesigning that intersection, said they have set up alternate routes to guide pedestrians to the crosswalk.

"We do get [complaints from] the irate public and we understand they're being inconvenienced," Dean St. Pierre said.

The company has set up alternate routes to guide pedestrians to the crosswalk.

But the risk isn't limited to construction zones.

Sudbury Staff Sergeant Dan Despatie said people who are being struck down by traffic aren't using crosswalks.

"Members of the public are sometimes just choosing to just run across the highway to get to the other side," he said.

"These collisions are occurring when someone that is walking is just stepping out on to the travel portion of the roadway in areas where they shouldn't be."

In the first three months of this year, 14 people were hit by vehicles in Sudbury.

Just two weeks ago a Sudbury man was hit by a car as he attempted to run for the bus.