After jogger's death, city eyes improvements to Parc Avenue

In the wake of a coroner's report into a collision that killed a woman jogging near Mount Royal, the city says it wantsto improve traffic safety in the areabut there are no concrete plans to do so yet.

Last year, 62-year-old ConcepcinCortacans was fatally struck while crossing Parc Avenue at a pedestrian crossing lightin front ofthe Sir George-tienne Cartier monument in Mount Royal Park.

A recently released coroner's report into her death made just one recommendation: improve signage in the area.

• Driver glanced at GPS map moments before striking Parc Avenue jogger last year, coroner says

But Aref Salem, the executive committee member in charge of transportation, said the design of ParcAvenue reflects a mentality that no longer makes sense.

"You cannot have six, seven [lanes] in the streets of Montreal," said Salem in an interview on CBC's Daybreak.

He said the city is looking at ways to improve traffic safety in the area, whether that's by converting some lanes into bicycle paths or adding trees and other greenery.

"We are asking our engineers to intervene on behalf of security more than mobility," he said.

Changes forthcoming?

A city bus was stopped in the first lane at the crossing light when Cortacansstepped onto Parc Avenue, jogging past the bus and into the second lane of traffic, where she was struck by a vehicle thatran a red light.

Salem said the fact that the bus stop is right at the crossing lightis problematic, and that will be looked at, as well.

After the fatal collision, city engineers were asked to look at a number of streets and devise ways they can be made safer.

As part of the Vision Zro plan, whichaims to decrease the number of pedestrian and cyclist deaths to zero, the city created a list of 146 intersections where safety is supposed to be improved by the end of the year.

However, it is unclear which intersections are on that list and how, exactly, they are being changed.

Opposition wants photo radar, signage

Salem refuted claims by opposition Projet Montralcouncillors who have accused the city of moving too slowly to improve safety.

While the opposition wants to see more photo radar in the area, the power to install the camerascomes from the province, he said. And calls for better signage will be addressed, he said.

However, there is no timeline for the changes.