A new pedestrian safety measure will soon help slow down drivers as they approach a Washington & Old Dominion (W&OD) Trail crossing in Herndon.
The Town of Herndon announced last week that it’s working to install a Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) for the crosswalk connecting the trail across Crestview Drive near Old Heights Road.
Expected to become operational “in the next few weeks,” this will be the first RRFB in the Town of Herndon, but the devices have become commonplace elsewhere in Northern Virginia, including at other W&OD Trail crossings, according to Mike Shindledecker, the town’s transportation engineer.
“Installing this new pedestrian crossing warning light is a proven way to make this trail crossing safer,” Shindledecker said in a press release. “National research shows that these systems greatly improve how well drivers notice and yield to people walking or cycling in the crosswalk.”
The town’s Department of Public Works studied the Crestview Drive crossing after hearing community concerns about limited visibility for pedestrians and cyclists, Shindledecker told FFXnow.
State data shows that there have been a number of crashes in the stretch of Crestview Drive between Herndon Parkway and Builders Road since 2020, including one on Dec. 16, 2021 at the W&OD Trail crossing that involved a pedestrian and resulted in two injuries. Just last year, on Oct. 6, one person was injured in a crash involving a bicyclist and a “mature” driver, defined as someone over 65.
Shindledecker says the town determined based on its study that a rapid flashing beacon would be the best option for improving safety at the crossing.
For anyone who might not be familiar with how RRFBs function, pedestrians and cyclists looking to cross the road can activate the flashing yellow signal by pushing a button. Like at any other crosswalk, drivers are then required to stop and wait for the road to clear.
The Town of Herndon partnered with NOVA Parks, which owns and manages the W&OD Trail, to add the beacon at Crestview Drive.
As of last Friday (March 27), the foundations for the beacon poles have already been installed, according to Herndon spokesperson Brent Heavner.
“Installation of the signs will be weather dependent, but town staff anticipate them being up in a few weeks after the concrete sets,” he said.
The Crestview RRFB joins a growing list of pending or recently completed road safety projects undertaken by Herndon.
Starting this past December, the town lowered the speed limit on a stretch of Herndon Parkway from 35 to 25 mph, and some improvements to the Herndon Parkway and Monroe Street intersection, including the additions of a more visible crosswalk and a red signal warning light, are slated to be implemented sometime this year.
The town also released a draft Roadway Safety Action Plan earlier this year that identified risky street intersections and recommended strategies for making them safer with a goal of eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries in the next 12 years. Town staff expect to present a final plan to the Herndon Town Council this spring, likely in April.
Separately, the town council approved an ordinance in February that authorizes the Herndon Police Department to install red light traffic cameras, though a firm timeline for when the program will take effect has yet to be established.
Screenshot via Google Maps
