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OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. - A new Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon is active in Kissimmee – allowing pedestrians to cross roadways safely by increasing driver awareness.
What we know:
What is a Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon?
A Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon helps pedestrians cross high-speed roadways at midblock and uncontrolled intersections with a traffic control device. The beacon uses two red lenses above one yellow lens. All lenses remain dark until a pedestrian wanting to cross the street pushes the call button to activate the beacon – starting the yellow to red sequence.
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These beacons have been successful near school crossings, parks and senior centers.
How a Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon works?
When a pedestrian presses the call button to activate the PHB, a yellow flashing light, followed by a solid yellow, will signal drivers to slow down. When drivers see a solid red, this requires drivers to stop for pedestrians to cross the street.
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When the overhead beacon flashes red, drivers can drive if the crosswalk is clear.
Where is it?
Osceola County's new PHB is on North Orange Blossom Trail – just north of Victory Charter School in Kissmmee.
The backstory:
Osceola County has been working to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists.
Osceola County currently ranks among the top 25 counties in Florida for traffic crashes that result in serious or fatal injuries to pedestrians and bicyclists, the county said in a press release.
In participation with FDOT's High Visibility Enforcement (HVE) Program, the county works to educate drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians on Florida’s traffic laws and improve safety on our roadways.
Deputies will focus on:
- Speeding
- Failing to stop for pedestrians in crosswalks
- Improper turns or signal violation
- Distracted driving, including the use of hand-held devices.
By the numbers:
The U.S. Department of Transportation provided data about PHBs.
- PHBs can reduce pedestrian crashes by 55%.
- PHBs are a candidate treatment for roads with three or more lanes that generally have annual average daily traffic (AADT) above 9,000.
- The PHB is often less expensive than a full traffic signal installation. The costs range from $21,000 to $128,000, with an average per unit cost of $57,680.
The Source: Information in this story was sourced from the Florida Department of Transportation.