Hillsborough County is expanding its Power Outage Emergency Beacons (POEB) system, which helps keep intersections safe during power failures. The solar-powered beacons proved effective during Hurricanes Helene and Milton last year, maintaining safety at about 120 intersections when regular traffic signals were down.
According to the Hillsborough County webiste, the POEB program began in 2018 and now covers 173 intersections across the county. The goal is to equip all 353 county-owned intersections with the system. Additionally, the Florida Department of Transportation plans to install POEBs at its 240 intersections.
The system uses solar panels to charge batteries that power red flashing LED lights, automatically activating when regular signals and backups fail. This creates a four-way stop, helping reduce the risk of accidents during outages. Traditional battery backups last only six to eight hours, while the POEBs can operate continuously until power is restored…