PC: U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration.
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) — The City of Green Bay will be installing 64 rapid flashing beacons, or RFBs, at intersections within the city.
The RFBs come as a result of a study done several years ago by the city, Wello, and the Green Bay Area Public School District in which they studied traffic patterns and safety concerns in hopes of creating a safer and more accessible community.
According to the Federal Highway Administration, RFBs can reduce pedestrian crashes by 47%, and can increase motorist yielding rates up to 98%.
Intersections with RFBs will require the pedestrian to push a button, which will then activate an overhead flashing LED light that alerts drivers that a pedestrian is going to cross.
Three of the planned 64 RFBs have already been installed.
“There’s a map that the City of Green Bay has developed to show the community the different areas that are slated to have these RFBs,” said Natalie Bomstad, Executive Director of Wello. “It’ll turn green on the map when it has actually been implemented.”
Wello helped the city decide where to implement the RFBs.
“We looked at, ‘Where are those areas with the largest pinpoints?’ and ‘Where are we seeing more crash and near-miss data?'” said Bomstad. “We also looked at, ‘Where are there people calling in about certain intersections because they feel unsafe?'”
The project costs $1.6 million. $1.3 million is coming from the school district, and $300 thousand will come from the common council through ARPA funds.
Green Bay Police Chief, Chris Davis, says that in 2022, there were 37 vehicle and pedestrian crashes in the city. So far in 2023, there have been 21 crashes. He says this project is important for public safety, and that there are consequences for drivers that fail to yield to pedestrians.
“You can get a traffic citation that can come with a fairly expensive fine depending on your driving history,” said Chief Davis. “It can have consequences for your insurance rates, and if you get enough citations you can lose your license.”
While the project is currently experiencing supply chain issues, all RFBs are anticipated to be installed within about one year.
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