Pedestrians generally need to cross roads on every walking trip and may also need to cross railways, waterways and other natural features. Safe and appropriate crossings are therefore key elements in providing a connected network for pedestrians.
Section 3.4 includes:
- Introduction
Designing safe and appropriate crossings requires an understanding of Safe System principles and the legal obligations of pedestrians and vehicles.
- Crossing selection
Choosing an appropriate crossing type and supporting aids for the context is critical to ensuring a safe and appropriate crossing facility. The location and spacing to other crossings should also be considered.
- Crossing design principles
A range of design principles contribute to creating a safe and appropriate pedestrian crossing facility. Design requirements for pedestrians and other road users, sigh distances, kerb ramp and other design considerations are here described.
- Non-priority crossing aids
Describes the following crossing aids that assist pedestrians to cross but do not provide legal priority over traffic:
- Kerb crossings
- Kerb extensions
- Pedestrian/median refuges
- Pedestrian platforms
- Courtesy crossings
- Priority crossings
Describes the mid-block crossing types that provide legal priority over traffic (zebra and signalised crossings and their raised variation)
- School crossings
School crossings assist children crossing roads on their journey to or from school. Different types of crossing assistance are available for different contexts.
- Grade separation
Describes underpasses and overpasses that separate pedestrians from other road users through a grade change.
- Rail crossings
Rail crossings help pedestrians to cross railway corridors, either at-grade using a level crossing, or under or over the railway.
Revised edition February 2026
Download the Crossings section of the Design chapter [PDF, 4.6 MB]
