Hilton Head pedestrians too often face a stressful gambit of dodging vehicles in their attempt to navigate across a dangerous island highway. At a pair of busy intersections, all of that may be about to change.
With Hilton Head recently spending $3.1 million to make U.S. 278 traffic lights smarter in an effort to get traffic on and off island more efficiently, there is also a focus on the safety of pedestrians and cyclists. To address these concerns, push-button or motion-activated crosswalks are being installed with state-of-the-art technology in lighting and safety features.
Hilton Head Island has numerous crosswalks along the highway — locally known as William Hilton Parkway — without traffic lights. Traffic engineers call these dangerous stretches of open road “non-signalized intersections.” The current condition of these crosswalks, marked with yellow pedestrians street signs and striped pavement don’t offer walkers much protection from the traffic whipping by at 45 mph or more.
To assist pedestrians as they encounter the busy roadway, improvements are underway to a pair of non-signalized intersections in this heavily populated area full of apartments and government housing where pedestrian and cycling traffic is highest. These pair — Palmetto Parkway and Northridge Drive — offer walkers a more direct route for shopping and groceries.
What are RRFBs and how will they help?
The new technology in pedestrian safety include RRFBs or Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons the town is currently installing at Palmetto Parkway and Northridge Drive crosswalks on William Hilton Parkway…