Case Study: Improving Nighttime Safety for Pedestrians

Western Systems partnered with the City of Tualatin, Oregon, to increase pedestrian safety with a first-of-its-kind overhead lighting system.

About Application

BACKGROUND: COMMUNITY MEMBERS NOMINATE RRFB PROJECT

Tualatin is a southwestern suburb in the Portland, Oregon Metropolitan Area with a population of approximately 25,000.  Over the last few years, the City has been growing – putting more cars and people on the already busy roadways.

In May 2018, Tualatin voters nominated and approved a $20 million G.O. Bond Measure to support high-priority transportation projects. Project priorities are guided by community input for Tualatin’s three most pressing transportation issues: congestion relief, neighborhood safety and safe access to schools and parks.

THE CHALLENGE: BUSY ROADWAYS & LIMITED VISIBILITY AT NIGHTTIME

Boones Ferry Road and SW Arapaho is located in a primarily residential area and has a lot of foot traffic from nearby residents.

There was an existing mid-block crossing to help pedestrians cross the road but the City wanted to increase safety.  Adding Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs) seemed to be the best choice, however getting AC power was going to be a challenge.

Another challenge for the City was lighting. Oregon has a lot of dark and grey days, especially in the winter, which makes crossing a busy road even more dangerous.

THE SOLUTION: INNOVATIVE FLASHING BEACONS AND OVERHEAD LIGHTING SYSTEM

Western Systems worked closely with the City and our partner, Carmanah, to provide a unique solution. To help increase visibility and driver yield rates, the City installed 2 Carmanah R920-F rectangular rapid flashing beacons. These solar-powered units are easy and fast to install as they require no trenching, cabling, or in-ground wiring.  Carmanah provided a free solar site assessment to confirm the best flashing beacon to accommodate the Oregon winters.

In addition to the RRFBs, Western Systems provided a first-of-its-kind Carmanah overhead lighting system to improve nighttime visibility. These lights illuminate pedestrians rather than traditional streetlights, which are designed to serve motorists in navigating and avoiding obstacles. This revolutionary system provides drivers the ability to discern an incoming pedestrian at a sufficient distance for them to safely and appropriately react.

To conserve the optimal amount of power, the Carmanah team developed a system where the lights are only activated at night when the ADA complaint crosswalk button is pushed by a pedestrian. The lights are fully solar-powered, require no AC and work up to eight days without a charge–outlasting even the darkest and greyest Oregon winters.

THE OUTCOME: SAFER RESIDENTIAL STREETS

 The new RRFBs and overhead lighting has already made a significant impact in the community. As part of the overall $20 million G.O Bond Measure, the City plans to continue adding more infrastructure to improve safety and mobility.

 “Adding the solar luminaire onto the poles of the solar-powered RRFBs provided a great way for us to illuminate the crosswalk without having to bring in electricity. Getting electricity to the crosswalk would have been very time-consuming, expensive, and disruptive. With these new lights in addition to the RRFBs, the crosswalk is now highly visible and provides a safer way for the community to cross the street.”

-Mike McCarthy, Principal Transportation Engineer, City of Tualatin

 

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