A popular pedestrian crossing of one of New Canaan’s busiest roads stands to become far safer for those who use it, under a plan that town officials now are considering.
Town officials want to install a “rectangular rapid flash beacon” to help alert motorists to pedestrians using the South Avenue crosswalk near the YMCA. Credit: Michael Dinan
Traffic officials say they’re working with the state Department of Transportation to install a pedestrian-activated “rectangular rapid flash beacon” or “RRFB” at the South Avenue crosswalk just up from the New Canaan YMCA.
Connecting the sidewalk just north of the YMCA to a trailhead for Waveny Park, the crosswalk serves dozens of runners and walkers, though motorists zipping up South Avenue—which doubles as state Route 124—often do not stop for those waiting to cross.
New Canaan Department of Public Works officials for more than two months have been working with the DOT on an acceptable RRFB design that the town already uses at the top of God’s Acre, the Fieldcrest Road crossing to Saxe Middle School and soon will install at Elm and Weed Streets.
Some of the specifications for the RRFB—such as the color of the control box (the state wants it to be yellow, the town a less glaring black or stainless steel) and the size of the sign (it’s off by about one inch)—require approval from the DOT’s various divisions, especially its Electrical Division, according to Public Works Director Tiger Mann.
“We have been waiting or a while” for approval, Mann said.
Once installed, the RRFB will light up with flashing lights, indicating to motorists that they should stop, whenever a pedestrian seeking to use the crosswalk pushes a button. The traffic control measure has a 90 percent adherence rate among motorists, officials have said.
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Great idea and much needed … people go back and forth from the Y to exercise in Waveny all the time, … and NCHS students use it daily to get from school to the Y.
For someone who goes back and forth at least 3 times a week, i and others have observed that cars with non-CT license plates seem more willing to stop and let humans cross without taking them out!!
Great to see this sort of safety going into a high-traffic area. I see school Children crossing at the Gower Street/Old Studio crossing where traffic doesn’t always stop. This crossing, a hundred yards from South School is another great target for this type of enhancement.