What is "pedestrian scramble"

n. (context informal English) A state or period of time in which an intersection is forbidden to vehicles, allowing pedestrians to cross in all directions.

A pedestrian scramble, also known as scramble intersection (Canada), 'X' Crossing (UK), diagonal crossing (US), and, more poetically, a Barnes Dance, is a pedestrian crossing system that stops all vehicular traffic and allows pedestrians to cross an intersection in every direction, including diagonally, at the same time.

It was first used in Canada and the United States in the late 1940s, though it has since fallen out of favour with traffic engineers in the United States, as it is seen as prioritising flow of pedestrians over flow of car traffic. However, it only prioritises pedestrians over vehicles during a portion of the traffic control cycle, while prioritising vehicles over pedestrians for the remainder of the cycle. It also has benefits for pedestrian amenity and safety, which have led to new examples being installed in many countries in recent years.