Traffic light installed at Burnaby crosswalk where student killed 1 year ago

The City of Burnabyhas installed atraffic signal at a crosswalk where a 15-year old pedestrian was hit and killed just over a year ago.

Fernanda Girotto, an exchange student from Brazil, was killed at a pedestrian crossing on Cariboo Road near Highway 1 on Jan. 17, 2018. Two men were charged last month in connection with the death.

A cyclist and a pedestrian were injured at the same crosswalk within days of Girotto's death.

The incidents upset many Burnaby residents who had been calling on the city for years to make the crosswalk safer.

Alexander John, an employee who works across the street from the crosswalk atCaribooRoad Christian Church, says he is grateful the city has installed the lights andhopestraffic will slow down.

"The first nightI drove there when the light was there I did get a little teary because it was something that eventually happened right in front of you," said John.

Residents complained about intersection

John says he lobbied the city ofBurnabyfor two years prior tothe incidents.

Previously, residents told CBC News the crossing's location combineshigh speed and poor visibility because drivers must exit the highway, round a corner, and travel up an elevated road before heading south on Cariboo Road towards the crossing.

Initially, City of Burnabystaff said there wasn't enough foot traffic to warrant a traffic light. But Burnaby's city council approved the construction of thepedestrian-activated traffic signaltwo weeks after Girotto's death.

Signal operational

PietroCalendino, a Burnabycouncillorand chair of the city's public safety committee, saidthe fatal incident made the traffic signal a priority, and he'shappy it is now operating.

"The hope is that it will prevent any accidents at that crosswalk, but obviously a lot of that depends on motorists behaviour and even pedestrians when they cross they should always take care."