WASHINGTON — New flashing crosswalk signals have been installed in Montgomery County, Maryland, to combat pedestrian collisions, the county announced Tuesday.
Three “Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons” have been set up on Bel Pre Road in Silver Spring and in Aspen Hill. Another pedestrian sign has been installed on Westlake Drive near Lakeview Drive near the Montgomery Mall in Bethesda.
The Montgomery County Department of Transportation selected Bel Pre Road for the flashing signs because it has been designated a “high incidence area” for pedestrian collisions, the department said in a news release.
The new signs were installed near Montgomery Mall because of heavy foot traffic heading to the shopping center.
The new signs supplement existing signs in crosswalks without traffic signals. Pedestrians push a button located on poles on the sidewalk, which activates a ticking sound, flashing yellow lights and a voice announcement.
Montgomery County is planning an education campaign to make sure pedestrians and drivers are informed about how to use the new signs. The county will mail information postcards to nearby residents and station volutneers at crosswalks during peak times to hand out materials.
The full list of locations where the new signals are being installed and a map are below:
- Bel Pre Road and Tynewick Drive in Silver Spring
- Bel Pre Road and Homecrest Road in Aspen Hill
- Bel Pre Road and Astrodome Drive in Aspen Hill
- Westlake Drive near Lakeview Drive in Bethesda
