Temporary Pedestrian Crossings at Work Sites

A temporary pedestrian crossing at roadworks moves people across the road when the works block their route. National guidance treats it as a fallback: keep pedestrians on their own side first. Where a crossing is needed, it must have kerb ramps both sides, clear sight lines, delineation, a firm surface, lighting, and road authority input for any marked crossing.

Pedestrian arrangements are where many otherwise good traffic plans fall short. The vehicle side of the TGS gets detailed attention; the footpath gets a sign that says FOOTPATH CLOSED, USE OTHER SIDE, with no ramp, no gap in traffic and no thought for the person in a wheelchair, the parent with a pram or the child walking to school. This guide focuses on the crossing itself. For the wider route, see our guides to pedestrian management at work sites and accessible pedestrian detours. This is general information; pedestrian arrangements must be part of a TGS prepared by a suitably qualified person.

Should pedestrians cross at all?

The Austroads Guide to Temporary Traffic Management (AGTTM) sets out an order of preference for pedestrian routes when footpaths are closed or relocated:

1. a route on the side of the road reserve away from traffic
2. a route between the work area and the road, but not in a traffic lane
3. a route on the road, in a parking lane or a delineated and protected part of a traffic lane
4. a route across the road to the footpath on the other side, with delineation at crossing points and kerb ramps, considering people with vision, mobility, hearing or cognitive limitations, and only where an appropriate crossing facility can be provided
5. a traffic controller guiding pedestrians around the operation, only where there is no safe temporary path

The crossing is option four. In other words, asking people to cross the road is something you do when you have genuinely ruled out keeping them on their side. Each crossing adds exposure to traffic, and many pedestrians, especially children and older people, judge gaps in traffic poorly. The guide refers designers to the Austroads Pedestrian Facility Selection Tool for choosing an appropriate crossing facility. Check the current AGTTM with Austroads and your state's supplement.

Types of temporary crossing

Where to put the crossing

People take the most direct route. A crossing placed where nobody wants to walk will be ignored, and pedestrians will cross wherever the barrier ends. Before fixing the location:

• Watch the desire lines. Where do people come from and go to? Bus stops, shops, schools, car parks and station entrances pull people across the road.
• Keep it close to the closure. The further the detour, the more people will step around the barrier and walk on the road.
• Use fencing to guide. Continuous pedestrian fencing leads people to the crossing and stops shortcuts.
• Avoid conflict points. Not at the works access, not beside a truck loading area, not at the taper and not where vehicles turn.
• Keep the crossing short. Cross at the narrowest point, ideally with a refuge on wider roads.
• Warn people early. Put pedestrian signs at the previous intersection or crossing, not only at the barrier, so people can choose their side of the road before they reach a dead end. Someone using a walking frame who arrives at a closed footpath with no crossing in sight may have to walk all the way back.

Sight lines at the crossing

A crossing only works if drivers can see pedestrians in time to stop, and pedestrians can see far enough to judge gaps. Check both directions:

• Drivers to pedestrians. Drivers need to see people at the kerb and on the ramp, including children and wheelchair users, who are lower than a standing adult. Parked cars, hoardings, signs, stored materials and plant often block this view. Our stopping distance calculator shows how much road a driver covers before stopping at a given speed.
• Pedestrians to traffic. From the kerb ramp, a pedestrian should be able to see approaching vehicles far enough away to cross safely. A sign stand or VMS trailer in the wrong place can hide them.
• At night. People in dark clothing are hard to see. Lighting and reflective delineation matter more than ever.

Check sight lines from a pedestrian's eye height, and from a child's.

Building the crossing: ramps, surface and guidance

The physical crossing is where accessibility succeeds or fails.

• Kerb ramps on both sides. A crossing with a ramp on one side only traps wheelchair users and prams in the road. National guidance describes a desirable width of 1.8 m for temporary paths and ramps.
• No lip at the bottom. A small lip at the ramp to road junction can tip a wheelchair or catch a walking frame.
• Firm, even surface. No loose gravel, trip edges, cables or hoses, and nothing that ruts or ponds in rain.
• Guidance for people with vision impairment. Use pedestrian barriers that a long cane can detect, rather than tape or a single rail at chest height, and consider tactile ground surface indicators. The AS 1428 series, available through Standards Australia, covers access and tactile requirements.
• Signs at pedestrian height. Signs aimed at pedestrians should be readable by pedestrians and must not become obstacles themselves.
• Lighting. Pedestrian paths and crossings used at night need lighting good enough to avoid slips, trips and falls, and to feel safe, with no dark sections.
• Driver warning. Drivers approaching the crossing need warning signs in the TGS, and a lower speed may be warranted.

Crossings that rely on a traffic controller

Where the TGS uses a traffic controller to stop traffic for pedestrians, plan the whole shift, not just the moment of crossing:

• Position and visibility. The controller must be visible to approaching drivers in time, and should not be standing in a live lane longer than necessary.
• Competing duties. A controller running a stop/slow cannot also safely escort pedestrians at the other end of the site. Allocate the task.
• Breaks and relief. If the controller is on a break, the crossing is either covered by another controller or closed with a clear alternative.
• End of shift. A crossing that only works with a controller present cannot simply be left. Before the crew leaves, the route must be safe without them, or a different arrangement must apply.
• Priority users. Allow extra time for people who move slowly and never rush them.

Schools, buses and busy places

Some locations need extra care. Near schools, works can clash with crossing supervisors and peak walking times; see our guide to school zone road works. Where a bus stop is affected, the crossing often decides whether people can safely reach the temporary stop; see temporary bus stop access at roadworks. Hospitals, aged care homes, shopping strips and stations generate more people with mobility needs and more crossings than a typical street.

Inspecting the crossing through the shift

Watch for people ignoring the crossing. If pedestrians repeatedly cross somewhere else, the arrangement is not matching their needs, and that should go back to the designer.

Next steps

On your next job with a footpath closure, walk the pedestrian route yourself, including the crossing, with a pram or wheelchair user's needs in mind. If you run a traffic control company, TrafWise keeps inspection records and site notes with each shift, so pedestrian issues are recorded and followed up.