Pedestrian Hybrid Beacons (PHB)

Purposephb1.png

A pushbutton activated beacon-controlled crossing that provides a protected walk phase for pedestrians and/or bicyclists.

Description

Beacons at major street crossing locations that remain dark until a pedestrian or bicyclist activates it via a pushbutton. When a pedestrian presses the pushbutton, the beacon turns yellow and then red to give people walking, rolling, and biking the right of way. Also called High Intensity Activated Crosswalks (HAWKs).

Safety Benefits

  • Provides a safe opportunity for people to cross a busy road between signalized intersections.
  • Reduces “multiple-threat crashes.” These crashes occur when a vehicle on a multi-lane road stops for a crossing pedestrian and another vehicle coming from the same direction in the adjacent lane strikes the pedestrian. (See the Definitions appendix).

View locations where this tool is installed in Arlington County

Street Types and Context

Applicable Street Types

All Principal and Minor Arterial streets.

Other Location Guidance

Are only placed at midblock locations. PHBs can also be used:

  • Outside of turn lanes,
  • Along trails that cross a major road,
  • Where traffic signals do not meet Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) warrants, and
  • Where there is >1 lane per direction and daily traffic volume >9,000.

Primary User Groups

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Key Implementation Considerations

  • Beacons are preferably placed above the crosswalk, rather than the side of the road.
  • Most effective when vehicle speeds are too high or gaps in traffic are too infrequent for pedestrians to cross safely.
  • PHBs are not common; consider outreach efforts when implementing a PHB to educate drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists.

     

Expected Crash Reduction

55% for vehicle-pedestrian crashes (Zegeer et al. 2017).

Cost

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Costs vary by site complexity.

Timeline

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May extend beyond three years, depending on complexity.

References

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