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On Thursday, April 15, the City’s contractors are activating the pedestrian hybrid beacon (PHB) signal on Third Street in front of San Rafael High School. A long-range goal of the City and San Rafael City Schools and has been a more direct connection between San Rafael High School and the Montecito Shopping Center. Because of the speed and volume of vehicles on Third Street, a PHB is the most appropriate treatment for this crossing. The School District and the City collaborated through the outreach, design, and applications for grant funding and were successful in securing $400,000 to construct the new crossing.
This helpful video from the Arizona Department of Transportation explains how the PHB works from both the pedestrian and driver point of view.
Two important things to note about this particular crossing:
- The hybrid beacon will be coordinated with the signalized intersection at Third Street/Union Street, so pedestrians may have to wait for through traffic on Third Street to finish its green phase before the countdown pedestrian heads give the “walk” indication.
- The large space in the median is a refuge space for pedestrians, as they are expected to cross Third Street in two phases.
Special thanks to the City’s contractors, Gremelli Industries, Sposeto Engineering, DC Electric, Econolite, and JAM Services for their work on this project. This is a substantial project that makes San Rafael a safer place for its residents.
For any questions or inquiries, please visit the project website or contact project manager and Traffic Engineer, Lauren Davini.