Pedestrian Hybrid Beacons Improved at Four Columbus Locations
The city of Columbus has improved its Pedestrian HybridBeacons that are intended to make crossing busy streets safer and easier for pedestrians. The beacons are overhead lights that provide a red stop light to motorists approaching the intersection when pedestrians press the curbside button. Multiple signs on the mast arms have been reduced to one sign (photo below) that requires motorists to stop when the red beacons are activated, just like at red traffic signals.
Beacons are in place on:
- Sunbury Road between Woodward Avenue and the signalized entrance to Ohio Dominican University
- Hayden Road between Riverside Drive and Bethel Road
- Morse Road between Dunbridge Street and Sundance Drive
- Alum Creek Drive between Main Street and Livingston Avenue at Hanford Village Park
What benefits are provided by Pedestrian Hybrid Beacons?
- Pedestrians can more safely and easily cross the street at marked crosswalks by alerting and controlling drivers with a beacon warning system.
- Pedestrian Hybrid Beacons have been shown to reduce crashes involving vehicles and pedestrians by up to 69%, according to a Federal Highway Administration report in 2010.
Additional beacons are planned for the intersection of N. 4thStreet and Northwood Avenue in the OSU off-campus area plus E. Livingston Avenue near 18th Street.
View a short video produced by the Ohio Department of Transportation that shows a Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon in action below: