Toronto’s mayor is visiting 8 key downtown intersections today as police officers manage traffic during peak hours as part of a pilot project to ease congestion.

John Tory was at the corner of Front and University this morning, where he said these officers will be able to coordinate both drivers and pedestrians who slow down traffic.

“And at this intersection it means saying to the pedestrians, now’s the time to walk, and there’s certain other times when you don’t walk. That means the cars can turn, everybody’s safer and the traffic moves and that’s a net win for everybody,” Tory explained.

In tandem with this, is a new strategy aimed at reducing fatalities on the roads.

City Councillor Jaye Robinson says the idea is to make things safer for pedestrians, cyclists, drivers, as well as school children and seniors.

Robinson points out that 80 percent of the 16 pedestrians who’ve been killed so far this year were elderly people.

The plan drafted by city staff, includes lower speed limits in dozens of places, physical modifications to some of the most dangerous intersections and roads, extra police enforcement of dangerous driving and the creation of school safety zones that would combine such measures.

Maureen Coyle of Walk Toronto will have more to see about the plan on Zoomer Radio’s Fight Back with Libby Znaimer at 12:30 this afternoon.