As parents and children prepare for the start of the new school year this month,…
Crosswalk Success Stories
While many of the pedestrian crosswalks monitored by Best Foot Forward have shown improvement over time, we wanted to give special recognition to some of the most improved locations from the past decade in honor of Pedestrian Safety Month. Each of these crosswalks started with drivers yielding to pedestrians less than 50% of the time. But thanks in part to the implementation of low-cost engineering solutions by our county and city partners, these crosswalks have since earned a “high performing” special status due to their large increase in driver yield rate.
Below are the featured crosswalks:
Edgewater Dr. & Shady Lane Dr. (Orlando): 2014-2021
Located near the heart of Orlando, this crosswalk location started at a meager 26% driver yield rate. By strategically incorporating rectangular rapid flashing beacons and upgrading the crosswalk with new, highly visible bricks, the yield rate for drivers surged to 72%.
Lake Underhill Road & Palmer Street (Orlando): 2013-2021
This crosswalk transformation included the addition of rectangular rapid flashing beacons as well as new highly visible bricks, which revitalized the crosswalk driver yield rate from 15% to 79%. The introduction of the beacon is designed to capture driver’s attention, creating a safer environment for pedestrians and cyclists alike.
West Donegan Ave. & Coral Ave (Osceola County): 2018-2021
Bordering an elementary school, this crosswalk was introduced to the Best Foot Forward program with a 24% driver yield rate. By engineering a rectangular rapid flashing beacon, the driver yield rate for this Osceola County crosswalk soared to 80%, one of the highest yield rates seen in all the successful crosswalks. Students can now cross safely and effectively.
East Rollins St. & Camden Road (Orlando): 2012-2020
It’s amazing what a simple new paint job can do to improve the driver yield rate at some crosswalks. A great example is the four-way crosswalk at E. Rollins St. & Camden Rd. Before, this crosswalk was underperforming, with a 19% driver yield rate. After new paint and striping, the driver yield rate surged to 70%. This is a great reminder of how low-cost engineering can improve safety and save lives!
Dyer Blvd. & Kensington Rd. (Kissimmee): 2018-2022
The baseline driver yield rate for this crosswalk showed that only 26% of drivers were stopping for pedestrians in the crosswalk. Through the help of newly incorporated rectangular rapid flashing beacons and striped crossing, this crosswalk was able to increase by 41% for a total of 67% of drivers yielding!
Rio Grande Ave. & 40th St. (Orange County): 2019-2021
At its beginning, this crosswalk had barely any infrastructure to ensure safety for pedestrians. While it originally had a 34% driver yield rate, it was clear that significant improvements were needed to keep those who were crossing safe. Sidewalks and tactile bumps were added to make crossing accessible, and it was marked with stripes, which resulted in a 73% driver yield rate.
Queens Mirror Cir. & S. Lost Lake Ln. (Casselberry): 2021-2022
The transformation of a crosswalk into a highly effective and safe pedestrian crossing is exemplified by this project. By incorporating new bricks, marked crossing, a sidewalk extension and rapid rectangular flashing beacons, this crossing experienced a 32% improvement in its driver yield rate, jumping from 42% to 74%.
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