It looks like curb extensions, more commonly known as bulb-outs, along Crescent Road in Portage la Prairie are out.

The locations where curb extensions, or bulb-outs, were proposed to be built. Council will table a new plan that will see zebra-marked crossing installed at those locations, and some new signage.

In its Committee meeting Monday, City Council discussed an alternative measure aimed at improving pedestrian safety along Crescent Road that will be tabled in December: zebra-marked or ladder-crossings.

The City set up temporary bulb-outs -- orange pylons -- along Crescent Road this summer where existing pedestrian crossings exist at 4th St. E, 4th St. W, 12th St. W, 17th St. W and Kelly K St.

Transportation Committee Chair Councillor Melissa Draycott says many citizens voiced negative feedback about the proposed plan to construct bulb-outs, so Council asked Administration to draft alternatives.

"There is a recommendation coming to the next Council meeting in early December ... it doesn't include bulb-outs," Draycott says. "We heard the citizens of Portage la Prairie."

If the proposed plan passes in Council, the zebra-marked crossings will be installed at all the locations along Crescent Road, where temporary bulb-outs were set up. Draycott says they will feature retro-reflective paint, and some crossings will include the installation of additional signage.

"They'll look slightly different to the double-lane crosswalks we have around town," explains Draycott. "These will look similar to the ones you see at Ecole Arthur Meighen School."

"It's painted lines in a ladder shape, or diagonally, across the road itself," continues Draycott. "So it will make it much more prominent there's a crosswalk there."

Transportation Committee Chair and city councillor Melissa Draycott. Draycott adds the crosswalks should help improve pedestrian safety when crossing the street at all the proposed locations along Crescent. It's not clear what effect the crosswalks will have on traffic.

"Traffic calming is just one of the by-products of what we were looking at," Draycott says. "What we were originally looking at was making sure our pedestrians who are crossing over to the Active Transportation Path are doing so safely."

"If traffic slows down, that's great."

In its report to the Transportation Committee, Administration says reduced traffic speeds were observed during the bulb-out test period, especially at the 4th St. W and Crescent Road Intersection. Many motorists commented the road was too narrow at this intersection and it would be dangerous in icy conditions, the report says. The Portage RCMP detachment made similar comments.

The Portage la Prairie School Division bus drivers also indicated bulb-outs were difficult to navigate without pulling into the oncoming lane, particularly at the 4th St. W intersection, causing bus drivers to feel it was unsafe.

The new proposal will go to a vote at Council's next meeting in December.