The city is in the midst of converting all trail crossings in Medicine Hat to 'elephant's foot' style, pictured here adjacent to Carry Drive. The crossings allow for cyclists to legally remain riding during use.--NEWS PHOTO ANNA SMITH
asmith@medicinehatnews.com
Motorists will be noticing new signs near trail crossings, as the city continues its 2025 construction efforts.
Standard trail crossings throughout the city are being converted into elephant’s foot trail crossings, which are characterized by dashed white lines made up of white squares.
These markings indicate that cyclists can remain on their bikes while crossing the road, unlike standard crosswalks where they must dismount and walk their bike across, the city says.
Motorists will notice new signage posted to indicate an elephant’s feet crossing is ahead. The city notes that while pedestrians and cyclists do have the right of way at these crossings, they should still exercise caution around roadways.
“Converting select crossings into elephant’s feet enhances safety and visibility for users of the city’s 190-kilometre-long Trail Network,” said the city. “Overall, when used properly, these crossings improve connectivity for cyclists and pedestrians while supporting efficient traffic flow for motorists.”
Currently, there are 12 elephant’s foot crossings in Medicine Hat, completed as part of previous and ongoing transportation infrastructure projects.
Further information on the benefits on these crossings, as well as a map detailing the locations of the current crossings within the city, are available at medicinehat.ca/elephantfeet.
