The Santa Monica Department of Transportation upgraded a pair of crosswalks with “Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon” (RRFB) more commonly known as “flashing lights.” The first crosswalk upgraded was at the intersection of 19th Street and San Vicente Boulevard. The second location is the mid-block crosswalk on 2nd Street between Wilshire Boulevard and Arizona Avenue.
DOT coordinated with the SMPD so that enforcement will be increased near the crosswalks to “reinforce the new locations.”
According to USDOT Federal Highway Administration data, RRFBs can reduce pedestrian crashes by up to 47% and increase motorist yielding rates by 98%.