Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon Coming to Alum Creek Drive
The City of Columbus is rolling out a pedestrian-activated warning device on Alum Creek Drive at Hanford Village Park between Main Street and Livingston Avenue on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2016.
Pedestrian hybrid beacons are flashing, red lights located on mast arms over mid-block pedestrian crossings. Pedestrians push a button to activate the beacons. Drivers must then stop to allow pedestrians to cross. The project is intended to make crossing heavily driven, arterial streets safer and easier for pedestrians. The new equipment will be in flashing mode for seven days starting Oct. 25 then placed in permanent, operational mode Tuesday, Nov. 1.
What benefits are provided by a pedestrian hybrid beacon?
- Mid-block locations account for more than 70 percent of pedestrian fatalities, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
- Pedestrians can more safely and easily cross the street at marked crosswalks by alerting and controlling drivers with a beacon warning system.
- The beacon includes a flashing, red stop light to motorists approaching the crosswalk.
Additional pedestrian hybrid beacons are expected to be installed at different locations in the future.
A short video produced by the Ohio Department of Transportation shows a pedestrian hybrid beacon in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXgJcyCfMmY
