The City of Kissimmee is working hard to make its crosswalks safer for people walking. The city recently installed new traffic control devices at two crosswalks currently being monitored through the Best Foot Forward (BFF) program: 898 N. Hoagland Blvd. and Dyer Blvd. & Kennsington Rd. These popular trail crossings are the perfect place to remind drivers of their responsibility to stop for pedestrians at crosswalks.
What is an RRFB?
These new traffic control devices, known as Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs), are typically placed at uncontrolled, marked crosswalks and are activated with a push button. Once a pedestrian presses the button, the RRFB emits a high-visibility, strobe-like flashing sequence, alerting drivers that a person is trying to cross.
Studies show that RRFBs can reduce pedestrian crashes by 47% and increase driver yield rates up to 98%. Crossing multiple lanes of traffic at an uncontrolled location creates significant challenges. On its own, crosswalk paint is only 18% to 28% effective at stopping drivers. RRFBs are one of the most effective crosswalk solutions and can be implemented without significant infrastructure changes.
Look at how the recent RRFB installations are impacting driver yield rates in Kissimmee:
898 N. Hoagland Blvd.
A popular crossing for the Kissimmee Trail, this location created a challenge for pedestrians attempting to cross its five travel lanes. Before the installation of RRFBs, the driver yield rate was just 15%. Following the installation, driver yield rates jumped to an average of 50%.
Dyer Blvd. & Kennsington Rd.
Initial data collection at this school crossing following the installation of RRFBs shows promising results. Driver yield rates have jumped to a new average of 78%, compared to a pre-installation yield rate of 23%.
The City of Kissimmee is taking great strides to increase safety and walkability using RRFBs, with more installations planned for 2022. With driver yield rates already improving, it’s safe to say the City of Kissimmee is putting its best foot forward!
This article was made possible by Bike/Walk Central Florida’s Best Foot Forward program and its contributing coalition members. Learn more about Best Foot Forward at iyield4peds.org.
