The City of Richmond, Virginia, plans to install a Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon (PHB) at the intersection of Cary Street and Commonwealth Avenue. This project is part of the city’s Vision Zero campaign, which seeks to reduce fatal and serious injury crashes. The focus is on improving safety for people accessing Mary Munford Elementary School and the nearby playground.
Construction is scheduled to begin in early December 2025. The city expects the work to finish by summer 2026, depending on weather conditions. The PHB is a traffic control device that helps pedestrians and bicyclists cross busy roads and intersections without signals. The beacon has two red lights above a yellow light. These lights remain off until a pedestrian or bicyclist activates the system.
When activated, the beacon first shows a flashing yellow light to drivers, then a solid yellow, and finally two solid red lights, which require vehicles to stop. Pedestrians see a “Don’t Walk” signal until it is safe to cross, then a “Walk” signal appears. After crossing, the beacon turns off and traffic resumes…