Use mid-block crossings to provide an opportunity for people to cross a street safely and on demand at designated locations. This is useful where significant desire lines exist away from established crossing points to fill in the gap in connectivity.
Where configured as wombat crossings they can improves pedestrian safety by removing trip hazards associated with kerb ramps, making pedestrians more visible to drivers and reducing vehicle speed at the conflict point.
Where configured as signalised crossings, normally along higher movement corridors, increased visibility is provided to the facility through the presence of lanterns.
Benefits
- Improves access to both sides of a street
- Improves safety
- Treatment clearly indicates pedestrian priority
- For wombat crossings, flush surface improves accessibility
- Can increase accessibility for elderly, children or people with a disability
- Can assist with economic activity that exists along a corridor
Considerations
- There is no evidence that providing many crossing opportunities leads to drivers ignoring crossings or a 'false sense of security' for people walking
- Signalised crossings may normally need to demonstrate meeting a warrant to gain support
- Vehicles slowing and then accelerating may introduce noise impact and air pollution to adjacent properties and nearby areas
- The solution may not be compatible with operation of buses
- Pedestrians aren't permitted to cross within 20m of a pedestrian crossing, other than at the crossing itself. Where significant attractors exist both sides of a corridor, providing a single crossing opportunity may not be as effective as creating an environment in which crossing at any point is possible
References
Austroads Guide
Guide to Road Design Part 4: Intersections and Crossings - General
Further information
If a wombat crossing can not be provided due to budget or drainage constraints and a zebra crossing is viable, consider installing speed cushions on each approach.
Further information on mid-block crossings can be found in the TfNSW Pedestrian Crossing Guideline
Examples
A mid-block zebra crossing is found at Manning Street, Kiama. It provides connection between Kiama Council Chambers and nearby businesses. Road humps and cobbled pavers have been placed on approach to the crossing to encourage drivers to slow down.
Location:
Manning Street, Kiama between Morton Street and Terralong Street
Agency responsible:
Kiama Council
The crossing of Cressy Street at Rothschild Avenue, Rosebery, provides clear indication of the need for vehicles to give priority to people using the crossing. The raised level and distinct surface markings are prominent.
Location:
Rothschild Ave, Rosebery at the intersection with Cressy Street
Agency responsible:
City of Sydney
To allow a more direct connection between local shops on one side of the Kingsway and buses and larger mall on the other side, a mid-block crossing has been provided.
Location:
The Kingsway, Miranda between Kiora and Wandella Road
Agency responsible:
TfNSW
Application
| Local streets | Main streets | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Residential lane |  | Destination high street |  |
| Residential way | | Transit street | |
| Yield street | | Connector avenue | |
| Neighbourhood street | | Arterial high street | |
| Connector street | | Transit arterial | |
| Urban centre street | | ||
| Enterprise street | | ||
| Main roads | Civic spaces | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Transit only corridor | | Civic high street | |
| Rural link | | Transit mall | |
| Rural highway | | Civic lane | |
| Secondary arterial |  | Service lane | |
| Principal arterial | | ||
| Motorway | | ||
Legend
| Appropriate treatment |
| Use with caution |
| Inappropriate treatment |
 | Not applicable |