The City of Orlando has made it safer for students crossing Primrose Street south of Amelia Drive to walk safely to Central Florida Leadership Academy Charter School.
“Kids are going to take the shortest possible route to school… and their shortest possible route is directly across the street, but the nearest safe crossing was far down at the traffic light,” Central Florida Leadership Academy president Jody Litchford told Central Florida News 13’s Jerry Humes in the news story here and below.
So the City of Orlando installed a new mid-block crosswalk where it was needed, but they didn’t stop there. New technology is being used to make the crosswalk even safer. This rectangular rapid flashing beacon (RRFB) has a sensor detecting if someone enters the zone and automatically activates the flashing beacons to alert drivers with a real-time notice that someone is about to cross. People walking, especially youngsters, don’t always see or activate the buttons at the crosswalks. With this technology, they don’t need to touch or push anything.
This installation and others like it are all part of the City’s Vision Zero goal to eliminate all pedestrian traffic fatalities and serious injuries by the year 2040.
