Inroad Lighting Application Combined with Mast Arm Flashing Beacons?

[262TrafficGuy]

I am a senior traffic engineer in my DOT and we handle the preparation of PS&E for electrial projects. We are being asked by our traffic safety chief to submit plans for mast arm pedestrian flashing beacons in addition to an in-road pedestrian crossing lighting system at two different locations. Neither location passes any pedestrian warrants. Pedestrian volumes are very low, but one location has a recent pedestrian fatality (totally caused by error of the pedestrian) and is politically sensitive. I strongly believe that it is over kill to install two different warning systems in one location. Anyone have any opinions on this? Is this something we should refuse to stamp?

262TrafficGuy

Remember: 'Everybody's a traffic engineer!'

 

[IRstuff]

In road beacons make sense to me; we have one in the downtown block in our town. Arms get broken too easily, and we know that people make a game out of beating railroad crossing arms.

Of course, this is all moot if the pedestrian doesn't bother triggering the beacons in the first place. So, that fatality might still have occurred since it's likely that their erroneous ways would have included not triggering the beacons.

TTFN

FAQ731-376
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[ACtrafficengr]

Suggest Rapid Flashing Rectangular Beacons. We just got a quote for $6500 for a pair, with solar power and hardwired power and communications between the units (trees on the south side would shade a panel there). This does not include poles, bases, or installation, however.

They've been shown to have a good effect on yield-to-ped behavior, and are covered by an interim approval, since they were approved too late to include in the 2009 MUTCD:

http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/res-interim_approvals.htm

From what I've heard, in-pavement lights tend to die young. That may be different in places where 50,000 lb trucks aren't dragging carbide blades and dumping salt on them 4 months out of every year.

Maybe the tyranny of Murphy is the penalty for hubris. -

http://xkcd.com/319/