Improving safety and traffic flow with new digital signs

This summer, York Region is introducing a traffic safety upgrade at the intersection of Kennedy Road and Carlton Road in the City of Markham. The Region is replacing the existing static “No Right Turn on Red” signs with two new digital signs in the eastbound and westbound directions.

These digital signs will activate only when pedestrians press the push button to cross northbound or southbound. This change is designed to enhance pedestrian safety while reducing delays for drivers making right turns.

This initiative is part of York Region’s 2024–2028 Vision Zero Traveller Safety Plan, which aims to reduce severe collisions on our roads, especially those involving vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists.

In 2022, York Region introduced time-of-day “No Right Turn on Red” restrictions at seven intersections in the City of Markham. Since then, severe collisions involving pedestrians and cyclists have dropped by 55% compared to historical averages.

The new digital signs build on the success of a pilot project at Islington Avenue and Langstaff Road in the City of Vaughan, where we saw improvements to traffic flow, including reductions in traffic delays and queue lengths, and positive community feedback.

Over the next year, York Region will continue replacing static no right turn on red signs with new digital signs at more intersections across the City of Markham and the Region. 

To learn more about this safety initiative, visit york.ca/TrafficSafety